


Power Over Me

by LouisaHale



Series: Dark and/or Smutty Fics [2]
Category: Fear the Walking Dead (TV), The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Adopted Children, Adoption, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bad Dirty Talk, Bad guys die in this one, Breeding, Canon-Typical Violence, Crossover Pairings, Dirty Talk, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Families of Choice, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Family Reunions, Fisting, Hate Sex, Human Trafficking, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Jeremiah Otto is a bad parent, Jeremiah Otto is a bigot, Kidnapping, Killing, Knotting, Main characters live, Makeup Sex, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mercy Killing, Mind Manipulation, OOC, Older Man/Younger Woman, Omega Verse, Parenthood, Postpartum Depression, Revenge, Rough Sex, Rutting, Songfic, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Surprisingly well-adjusted Troy, Timeline What Timeline, Unplanned Pregnancy, Vaginal Fisting, Violence, because of abo, better decisions are made, for like two scenes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-12 16:15:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 32,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29263392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LouisaHale/pseuds/LouisaHale
Summary: Beth and her family agree that she’s responsible enough to go on the church’s mission trip to an orphanage in Central America, despite her omega status. She had plenty of suppressants and a responsible chaperone in their pastor. Everything was fine until the world ended a month in to her trip. She was on her own in the world now, and the only things that kept her going was the name of the alpha on her wrist, and the possibility she may see her family again one day.End of Chapter 3 and beginning of Chapter 6 have explicit sexual content, everything else is Mature due to the following: NON CON (because of the ABO verse), UNDERAGE (Beth is seventeen in chapter 1-2) and VIOLENCE (because of the apocalypse)
Relationships: Beth Greene/Troy Otto, Charlene Daley/ Jimmie, Gretchen Trimbol/ Cooper, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Series: Dark and/or Smutty Fics [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2174274
Kudos: 10





	1. "I wanna know who you are..."

**Author's Note:**

> I'll add tags as we go, but the characters and timeline are a bit different then the show. Some things happen faster because of the designation aspect of it all and some things happen faster because i wanted to accelerate the story. 
> 
> In in this verse, you have two things that affect your reproductive biology, which effects your place in society. betas are 'normal humans' with no special biology governing them except for their ability to be alpha-ordered. Alphas can order betas and omegas to listen to them. Omegas are the bottom of the totem pole, because their heats and their mating with alphas make them targets for betas angry at their place in the world. Omega men, can get pregnant by any man or alpha woman, but cant get anyone pregnant. Alpha women can get omegas and beta women pregnant but cant get pregnant. Alphas and omegas are rare in society, and each has the name of their mate on their wrist when they are born. Alphas and omegas have heightened senses, alphas more so than omegas, both can be violent when they feel threatened (omegas more so when a mate or child is threatened) and alphas sometimes have elevated strength.
> 
> Everything else will be explained the best i can as we go... Why omega verse and soulmarks for this pairing? well i thought 'how would Beth survive without her family and be able to tolerate Troy's violence when they meet'? She'd have to already be connected with him, otherwise the 17 year old we met on the walking dead wouldn't want anything to do with him i'd think.
> 
> WARNINGS:  
> NON CON- because of the ABO verse  
> UNDERAGE- Beth is seventeen  
> VIOLENCE- because of the apocalypse

_“Wanna be king in your story_  
_I wanna know who you are_  
_I want your heart to be for me…”_

_Dermot Kennedy “Power Over Me”_  
  


A lot had changed for Beth since the apocalypse started: she had stolen her first car, scavenged for her food, put the navigation badge she got when she was still allowed in Girl Scouts to good use, lived out of a truck and made it her mission to stay away from people: living and dead.

It had seemed like a sensible idea going on the church’s mission trip in Guatemala. She loved being involved in spreading the love of the Lord and those kids at the orphanage needed someone to care for them. Daddy and Mama had been hesitant to let their omega daughter go away with only the beta pastor and a few other beta volunteers. An unbound omega alone in a foreign country just wasn’t done, heck an unbound omega further than a few miles from home was a rarity. But her doctor had provided enough suppressants to last the entire three-month trip and the pastor had agreed to be her guardian, since omegas needed a documented guardian wherever they went no matter their age.

It was great for the first month. The kids were so sweet, they had never met another omega before. The orphanage was for omega boys and girls; a lot of poor families couldn’t afford to raise omegas kids safely so they gave them up for the government or churches to care for. In the US there were assistance programs for poor families, they didn’t have to be separated if they didn't want to be. The kids all were so starved for love and attention, Beth’s only complaint was that there wasn’t enough time in the day to cuddle them all.

Then one morning she woke up to the Pastor Jones dragging her away from the orphanage, hearing terrifying screams from the children. She wanted to go back and help, but he wouldn’t let her.

The dead we’re walking and it was a terrifying world now. Beth and Jones traveled north for weeks, figuring apocalypses were better spent in a place where you knew the language well. But everything went bad for Beth when they encountered a group of English-speaking men outside of Mexico City. She found out why the pastor thought she was valuable enough to save that night. He planned to pimp her out in exchange for supplies.

Beth took her suppressants, rations, the map, water and a knife and ran while the men were negotiating a price for her. That wasn’t how it was done anymore. Ever since the marks appeared omegas had rights! They weren’t property to be used until an alpha bonded them, they were people to be protected and cherished until their soulmate retrieved them.

Beth wasn’t naive; she knew her sister had far more rights than she did. Maggie didn’t need a chaperone everywhere she went, Maggie could get a job and a drivers license. She could do whatever she wanted because she was a beta. Beth also knew she had it better than a lot of omegas. Exibit A her family could afford to have her. But, just because there was laws to protect omegas didn’t mean they were protected at all, her parents had treated her as equally as they possibly could and were kind, amazing, God-fearing people. Many omegas didn’t have the upbringing she had and she thanked her parents for that. Daddy had trusted that the pastor was a good man, because he was a man of God. Beth hoped that if he didn’t fear God, he’d at least respected the name of the alpha that was wrapped around her right wrist.

At 18 every alpha and omega registered their marks with the government. The alpha would get notified when their omega was found. Only alphas and omegas had marks, Beth reasoned that God had wanted to try to protect omegas after seeing how poorly they were being treated so He gave them a perfect match. But Beth wouldn’t be eighteen for months, so her alpha hadn’t gotten her location yet.

After running from the pastor and stealing a truck Beth kept heading north. She refused to rest until she was sure she wasn’t being followed. Beth had a fixed amount of suppressants and didn’t want anyone to smell her omega status and decide she was theirs to barter when the drugs wore off.

She had a fleeting thought that maybe she could make it home to Georgia, but knew that was near impossible and there was no guarantee her family would be alive when she got there. She decided that she needed to find a place she could spend her heats in when they came. A place out of the way, well supplied. A place where no one would find her.

She hadn’t found such a place yet. In fact, she had less supplies now then when she ran and only a few weeks left of suppressants.

She considered herself lucky that she had found a decent supply of water a few days ago because she now had to make camp in the middle of the desert. According to the map she was just past the US border. She hoped that she could find an abandoned omega shelter here and use the heat vaults. They locked from the inside and no one would be able to smell her heat. It would be safe.

As the sun went down she heard it, the sound of trucks. Beth grabbed her pack and ran, leaving the map and her stolen sleeping bag behind. The horns honked and soon a fleet of military vehicles was chasing her. She was so weak and exhausted she only made it ten minutes before they circled her.

A bald guy got out of one of the trucks. She sniffed the air. Alpha. Beth made a move to run again and she was caught by a beta male.

“It’s okay sweetheart. We’re not going to hurt you.” The beta whispered.

Beth kicked behind her the way Maggie had taught her and made contact. Alpha, Beta or Omega; all males had that particular vulnerability. She made a run for it once he was down.

The alpha laughed and grabbed her quickly. He gave her a sniff. “You must be on strong suppressants because you smell like a beta, but I see a mark on your wrist. Alpha females never hiding their status or as tiny as you are. Where’s your guardian sweetie?”

“He tried to sell me for supplies. I ran away.” She said honestly, hoping this alpha was an honorable one.

He let her go and nodded. “That’s a good girl. I’m sorry you went through that sweetie. But you’re safe now. I’m Cooper. I’m married and no threat to you. I can volunteer to be your guardian and take you home with us. You just have to do an intake interview with my friend. He runs our militia.”

Beth let out a giggle of relief and flung herself into Cooper’s arms. “Thank you.” She sighed in relief; he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her briefly. The embrace reminded her of Shawn and Daddy her instincts telling her that this was a good alpha like her brother and father.

Cooper laughed and led her to his truck. He sat with her in the back so she didn’t have to sit with his beta friends. She clung to him for dear life as they drove away.

She was falling asleep on his shoulder as they arrived at a military base. There were a few floodlights on and as Cooper helped her out of the truck he held her hand and read her mark.

_Troy Jeremiah_

Cooper smiled. “Hi Elizabeth.”

“It’s Beth. And I didn’t tell you my name...” Beth said before looking at her mark. “Do you know my alpha?”

“Of course I do. He’s the boss. My friend, like a brother really.”

Beth hugged Cooper again. Not only was she safe with him, he was her alphas friend.

“Coop what will Gretchen think to see a cute little blonde hanging in you?” Said a voice behind her.

“Shut up asshole and show the little lady your mark. She’s had a tough time of it.” Cooper said with a grin and Beth let go of her new friend to take a look at the newcomer’s mark.

The alpha, a blue eyed, dark haired beauty glared at his friend but rolled up his sleeve and presented her his wrist.

_Elizabeth Joy_

Beth giggled again and showed the alpha her mark. “Hi Alpha.”

Troy snorted, looking her up and down assessing her. “Hi Omega, nice to finally meet you. Cooper let her get cleaned up and rested. Keep her close okay? I have a some things to see to in the lab and the office.” He said before leaning down to kiss Beth’s cheek. “Stay close to Coop and rest up. We’ll talk in the morning.”

Beth nodded, blushing from the kiss. “Goodnight Troy.”

“Goodnight Elizabeth.” Troy said winking at her and turning to leave. “Coop if anything happens to her I swear you’ll end up my new test subject.”

Beth turned to Cooper looking at him in question. “Are y’all scientists?”

“Not exactly. Let’s get you cleaned up.” Cooper said holding out his hand, “Do you want to keep anything from your bag? The guys grabbed it.”

“Just my medicine and my family photos.” Beth said, “If you have less dirty clothes I’d love them…I can keep my knife cant I?” she said patting her belt.

Cooper nodded and Beth took his hand as he led them to a set of barracks. “It’s mostly betas here. So you’ll bunk either on top of my bunk or Troy’s until we go back to our ranch, depending which of us has night watch.” Coop said as they passed all the bunk beds and dragged a mattress from an empty one to the two bunks in the corner that smelt of alpha, placing it on top of the one that smelt of Coop. “Troy has a project that will probably take his time up tonight. Let me show you the showers.” He said, leading her to the bathroom. “Use the soap in there. We might not have any pants that will fit you, but I’ll give you a long sleeve of Troy’s to sleep in, might calm the nerves.”

Beth smiled at him, “I have some leggings in my pack, I haven’t worn them since this thing started, they should be clean enough to wear until I can get some new clothes.”

Coop nodded. “I’ll radio for your things and get you a shirt. I’ll set it right outside the shower on the bench. I wont leave the area okay? You’re safe here Beth.”

Beth nodded and made her way to the shower stall furthest from the door. It was nice to finally be safe and in the hands of good alphas that would protect her.

* * *

Late the next morning Beth woke to a commotion to see Coop shooting straight out of bed and run outside, Beth slid on her boots and followed him.

Everyone was standing around while an alpha female held Troy hostage with a spoon in his eye. Beth was livid. Something primal in her came to the surface, she didn’t know if it was the apocalypse finally getting to her or an in danger mate but she saw red and did what the ancient omegas did when their young or mate were threatened, she eliminated the threat. A pissed off tiny omega whose mate was threatened could easily take down a alpha female who was paying more attention to the betas with guns trained on her.

When Beth came to, her hands were bloody, her knife was lodged in the woman’s shoulder and a young alpha female was tending to her wound. Troy’s men were standing around, guns trained on the women.

Troy was purring in approval while rocking Beth and rubbing the scent gland at the base of her neck to calm her. She heard screaming distantly and the sounds of people running around, she made out Cooper’s voice ordering people to pack up and get ready to go home, and hearing about a prisoner escape.

The alpha woman was yelling about her mate and son, but everyone was ignoring her waiting for Troy’s orders.

She was only focused on the literal blood on her hands and started to cry and pray out loud to God to forgive her for her sin. Letting the primal part of you take control is wrong, people were no longer living in caves, they were supposed to be better now. They had God to show them the right path. She failed God, and Mama and Daddy, and her siblings, she was a disappointment, an abomination.

The only thing that kept her grounded was Troy trying to soothe her, until he abruptly stopped his purrs and yelled. “Everyone pack up. We’re leaving in an hour. If Madison's husband and son are alive release them.”

Troy tightened his grip on her and she leaned into his chest. “You step one more toe out of line, I’ll kill your son.” He growled.

A couple of Troy's men came and tossed two men (betas) towards the alpha women. “We want to go out on our own.” The woman who attacked Troy said.

Beth hissed at her for speaking.

Troy laughed. “And have you follow us back to try to ambush us? I’d rather have my eye on you.”

The foursome glared, then the younger man was talking to the woman about someone called Luciana. How Troy’s men had shot her and she was dying. The older man said he was thrown in a pit with the dead. They were talking about how this group was evil and they had to get away from them.

Beth glared at the family. It was obviously fiction. Troy was a good alpha and the only other male alpha on base was Cooper. They weren’t violent or evil. Beth had seen cruel people, and she decided that this female alpha and her family were the bad ones.

She buried her head in Troy’s neck and he carried her to the bunkhouse where she was introduced to Troys older brother Jake as he patched up Troy’s eye. Jake decided to ignore her, scoffing at the mark on her wrists and chastising Troy for his experiments, saying that Troy had no right to play God, and their father sent him to the base for a reason.

Beth was in shock that Troy let his beta brother talk to him the way he was, and let him disrespect her. Troy just smirked the whole time and let Jake lecture him. Jake eventually got bored and left them alone.

Coop entered and went toward their bunks, and she and Troy joined him in packing their bags. When they were finished, Coop took all three of their packs away and leaving Beth and Troy alone to talk.

“Do you hurt people?” She asked him.

“Only people that are dying anyway, we make it quick. I’m trying to figure out why this whole thing happened. I want to know if I can stop it.” He said, taking her into his arms again.

Beth didn’t know if the hormones from attacking Madison were still in her system or if Troy rubbing her scent gland was making her pliable but she was okay with the statement outwardly. Inside she was freaking out…what if her alpha was an evil man… but she didn’t react other than to say. “Will you hurt me?”

“Never.” Troy said, pulling back to look her in the eyes. “I don’t know if you noticed from the way Jake acted but my family never understood me. I grew up in a family full of betas, pissed that they weren’t alphas. They took it out on me. I had my friends, and I had Coop and his family to keep me as sane as possible, but still I didn’t fit in regular society after my parents and Jake were done with me. They got mad when I finally started acting out, and were scared of me when I hit puberty. They made me into what I am and they hated me for it Elizabeth. The only hope I had is one day I would find you. I have done a lot of horrible things, and I will do horrible things again. Sometimes I think I was training my whole life to be able to survive in this world. But the only person I will never harm ever is you.”

Beth nodded; she really had to consider his story. A good Christian forgave if someone was truly repentant of their sins. God was all for forgiveness. God wouldn’t put her, a girl that trusted Him implicitly in the hands of an evil alpha. Maybe Troy was right; God had prepared him to be able to keep them safe in this new world.

She would have to pray on it later.

“I prefer to be called Beth.” She told him.

He smiled widely at her. “Okay Beth.”

For a second she thought he was going to lean in for a kiss, but shouts and screams could be heard from outside and Troy sniffed the air. “The Infected are on base. Run to Coop.” He ordered panicked, grabbing a nearby rifle.

They both ran out of the barracks and into chaos.


	2. "Want you to sing to me softly..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is why this story is rated M...Very smutty, hope to have it up mid-week!
> 
> Coop and Jimmie are half brothers in this one, sons of Phil McCarthy. Coop is married to Gretchen, Jimmie is married to Charlene.
> 
> This chapter has your typical Jeremiah Otto bigotry so beware.

_“Want you to sing to me softly  
'Cause then I might run in the dark  
That's all our love ever taught me_

_Call and I'll rush out  
All out of breath now_ _…_ _”_

_Dermot Kennedy “Power Over Me”_

They’d been driving all night, typically he and Coop would be blaring heavy metal to stay awake, but the omega in his lap wanted to sing. She sang hymns, and some songs he’d never heard before. Her voice was beautiful, and calmed him after the firefight leaving the base.

Jake and Charlene had made it out with Madison’s husband, daughter and Nicky’s girlfriend in the helio. After about an hour of driving away all their tucks gathered at an abandoned gas station to take stock in who had survived. They’d lost to many soldiers, to many friends. Troy was pissed. This was Madison and her stupid family’s fault. The Infected were contained outside the walls, Nick’s little escape let them in.

Troy wanted to kill the alpha and beta in his backseat, but he promised his dad that he made all decisions on the ranch. Despite everything Troy wanted to make his father happy, and it grated on the old man that he had a son that could override his orders. Troy never did though.

But he would have to soon. Troy wasn’t stupid; he knew the ranch’s water supply was running low, he knew it wouldn’t be a safe space forever. Troy, Coop, Jimmie, Mike and their mates had a Plan B if the ranch ever became unsafe. He just hoped that he could talk his father and brother to come along like Coop had with Phil. He loved his family as much as he loved his home, if he were to lose one he’d like to at least have the other.

As they got the ranch he saw that Mike and Dad were at the gate waiting for them along with the guards he’d left behind. That wasn’t good at all.

Coop stopped the truck and Troy growled. “Madison take your kid and get out of the truck.”

“What?” The woman growled. “No.”

“Get the fuck out.” Him and Coop said together.

They listened this time and Mike signaled for the gate to open. When they drove in he helped Beth out and held her hand as he went to talk to his dad and Coop waived the rest of the militia in. “What’s going on?”

“Your brother’s dead.” Dad said bluntly, “So is Phil.”

“The fuck?” Troy said before yelling for Coop to join them. If Cooper’s father was dead then he needed to hear it too.

“The helio crashed near the outpost. Only Charlene survived.” Dad continued when Coop joined. “Apparently the passengers tried to hijack the helio, killed Jake and Charlene parachuted out. They crashed not long after she bailed, something shot them down. She made it to the outpost to get help from Phil only to find him scalped and Walker and his tribe waiting. They let her go with a message. We have to give them the land or they kill us all.”

Troy was pissed and he glared at Madison and Nick, outside the gates. “We should kill them.”

“No Troy. We need all the help we can get with the red men coming for us.” Dad said with a sneer. “Besides if you can bring a useless bitch in then we can bring in two fighters.”

Beth whimpered and Troy and Cooper both growled. “She’s my mate Dad. And she’s not useless. She’s the reason that blonde out there has her arm in a sling.”

Dad rolled his eyes. “Omegas are useless. They are only good for fucking. She’s going to be using up what little supplies we have so you can get your dick wet. At least Vernon’s girl can cook and work in the infirmary. By the way Coop your bitch and brother are sitting around Charlene’s bedside while she heals.”

Cooper snarled at Dad and Troy handed Beth to him, knowing that he would protect her while he wasn’t around. Beth didn’t need to hear his father’s bullshit any longer. Plus the McCarthy boys and their mates were the closest people Troy had to a real family. Beth getting along with them mattered more than her getting along with Big Otto.

Troy waited until they left to glare at his father, and his coward friend who didn’t even stand up for his own little sister.

“Do not say another word about Beth or Gretchen.” Troy said, alpha ordering his father for the first time in his life.

Dad sneered at him. “Useless son. I wish you’d died instead of Jake.”

It hurt, but Troy couldn't say he didn’t expect it. So he changed the subject. “Did you tell the community about Walker’s threat?”

Dad refused to say anything so Troy turned to Mike. “He did as soon as Charlene came back. People are panicking and leaving. We don’t have enough men to defend the land.”

Troy nodded, he didn’t like it but they had less than sixty people, and a lot were elderly. He didn’t see then holding the land in a firefight. He didn’t see how the land was worth anything without a water supply. Troy had to protect Beth. He had to do what was best for his friends and mate.

“Mike, where is Walker now?” Troy asked.

“Black Hat.” Mike said, “We have two days.”

Troy nodded, “Are you with your sister or your Dad?”

“I’m leaving with Mom and Dad.” Mike said.

Vernon Trimbol liked Troy as much as Troy’s own father did. He wouldn’t follow Troy into the apocalypse even if his daughter was with him. It hurt, but Troy had to stay grounded, he had Coop, Jimmie, Gretchen and Charlene McCarthy, and Beth to think about now. “You think you can stay long enough to say goodbye when I get back tonight?”

Mike nodded. “You going to negotiate?”

“Yes. The least I can do is ask that the elderly and the ones not willing to leave be taken care of.” He said, watching his dad slowly fume. “Give the rest of us time to leave.”

“I’m not giving up my land!” Dad screamed.

“Stay here and die then Dad. Walker isn’t going to let you live after what you and the founders did.” Troy said walking towards his own truck.

“I raised you to defend this land boy!” he yelled at him.

“No. You raised me to be a ruthless monster that protects what’s his no matter how much his family and the people he’s protecting hate and fear him.” Troy said, “I have my mate and my friends, I don’t need you or this land that is going to run out of water in a few weeks.” Troy growled, before telling Mike. “Spread that bit of information would you Mike? I want everyone to know what they’re in for if they stay. Tell Coop where I’m going.”

Mike nodded and walked off. Dad made a run at Troy fists flying.

The thing was, Troy wasn’t a kid anymore, and he wasn’t looking for his father’s approval either. He didn’t have to let the old man land a punch if he didn’t want him to. He was taller, younger, stronger and an alpha, the old man didn’t stand a chance against him.

Troy caught the old mans fists and kneed him in the balls. When Big Otto was on the ground, Troy kicked his stomach. “That’s for what you said about Beth.” He said before walking away, he figured surrendering the land to Walker and his tribe was revenge enough for his childhood.

Troy jumped in the truck and told the guard at the gate to let Madison and her hellspawn in. They didn’t matter anymore, one way or another in a few days he’d never see them again.

He idled the truck near them to tell them what was going on. “The ranch isn’t a safe space anymore. Indians killed your family after your family killed my brother. They want this land. You can rest here and supply up before you go on, or you can stay, I don’t care.” He told the duo, not staying long enough for their reaction.

* * *

“What are you doing here Otto?” Walker said, when he got out of his truck. Troy put his hands up, noting all the tribespeople with their guns trained on him but he kept his eyes on the alpha that addressed him.

“Negotiation.” Troy said, trying to sound nonchalant, noting that Madison’s daughter was among those that were training guns on him. “Hey Alicia. Heard you killed my brother. I hope at least one of your people died in the process.”

Alicia looked angry. “Where’s my mom and Nick?”

“Safe. They think you’re dead.” Troy shrugged. “If we ever meet when you aren't under Taqa’s protection, your death will be so very painful. So will Travis’ if he survived.”

Alicia flinched; it was such a waste for a girl like her to be an alpha. Alpha’s and omega were so rare and alphas so revered in society but it seemed Alicia hadn’t grown into her secondary biology yet. Madison must be so disappointed, a smart conniving alpha such as herself with a junkie beta son and a cowardly alpha daughter. Perhaps not though because she was mated to a beta, and not the omega male that bore her children, the woman was odd. Troy would have been interested in studying her if he had more time, she made no sense to him and she loved her children so fiercely no matter how disappointing they were. His own parents couldn’t find the heart for that for him.

“Otto, I’m not open to negotiation. You and yours will leave the ranch for us or you will die.” The Hopi alpha said, drawing his attention again.

“I’m not here for that. I cant afford a battle. I just found my omega, I don’t want her near a war. Plus even if I hadn’t found her, we don’t have the manpower to fight you.” Troy said gesturing to the gathered crowd, indicating the Hopi numbers and how much more of them there were then the residents of Broke Jaw. “I was hoping I could negotiate letting some of the people stay, ones that had nothing to do with what my Dad and the other founders did to you and yours. Some people are to old to travel. My omega and I will leave, I’ll do my best to drag my father out of there too. Most of the people that can risk leaving are already packing. I just ask you to take care of the ones that cant leave like they were your own.”

Walker lowered his weapon and considered. “You and will leave the ranch without a fight and take as many as you can with you?”

“Either with my group or on their own, I guarantee you most of them will leave. The elderly and ones with little kids will want to stay in a larger group.” Troy told him, “I promise, alpha to alpha, I’m not pulling one over on you. I just need my omega safe.”

Walker nodded. “You have the same timeline I gave the woman, if those that remain resist, they will die.”

Troy nodded. “Can I leave safely? I have a lot to do.”

Walker nodded. “Take the Clark girl with you, she’s an old friend of my new omega. I trust her to make sure you are telling the truth. If any harm comes to her, you will be hunted down.”

“She killed my brother Taqa. Almost killed a woman who is like a sister to me.” Troy said, “It’s taking all my control to give up the only home I’ve known. I dont think I’ll be able to not hurt her.” He told the chief.

“Fine Troy.” Walker said, “Go alone, but I’ll send scouts tomorrow to watch over the ranch, ensure that you are packing. And if your father isn’t gone by the time I arrive in two days, I will have his head.”

Troy flinched, but nodded. “Fair.”

Walker stepped forward and held out his hand. Troy shook it and the deal was made. An alpha’s promise to another alpha was sacred. It wasn’t mystically binding, but it was taken seriously. It was an honor thing. An alpha was only as good as the alliances and deals he made with others. Its how he and Coop were able to be so close for so long and not step on each other nerves. They had agreed long ago they were brothers and they would share responsibility, and protect each other’s families fiercely.

Troy drove off in his truck. He needed to pack and give the news to the rest of Broke Jaw about the deal they made.

* * *

Troy arrived and felt something wrong. There was no guard at the gate, the lights in his house were all on and people were gathered around.

He ran into the house to find his father dead. Coop surveying the scene. It looked like a suicide but Dad, wouldn’t kill himself. Troy took the gun out of his father’s hands and sniffed. The Clark boy.

Troy started to growl squeezed the weapon, the shock of seeing his dead father causing his alpha hormones to surge and his strength to increase. The gun was crushed into a ball in seconds.

“Where are they?” Troy growled, he knew a beta with no spine like Nick wouldn’t kill unless someone had told him he needed to.

“They ran off thirty minutes ago. They got supplied and opted to leave. Nobody noticed Jeremiah was missing until ten minutes ago.” Coop said. “They blamed him for their family dying, apparently someone said something to Madison about the Indians hating Big Otto…”

Troy cried for the first time in forever. The last thing he did was attack his father, and he let the murderer on the ranch. His father’;s death was on him. Jeremiah and Jake may have hated Troy but Troy still loved them. He would never forgive himself for their losses. And he would never forgive those that pulled the trigger.

“Come on buddy. Beth is upstairs with Char and Gretch.” Jimmie said, entering the room, “Coop and I will help you bury him.”

Troy nodded to the McCarthy boys, realizing that they had lost their father today too. “Our first stop when we leave will be to bury Phil. Okay?” Troy told them, “I promise.”

* * *

The next morning Troy woke early, his omega in his arms holding him tight. She had rocked him to sleep when he came back from burying his dad, singing ‘amazing grace’ a couple time and purring when the song didn’t stop his crying enough for him to sleep.

“Thank you Beth.” He sighed.

“It’s my job Troy.” She said with a smile, “My Daddy used to say we all have jobs to do. He meant that we all had chores on the farm and a role to play in society, I don’t think he had any idea the end of days were coming. But it still applies. Right now my job is to be a supportive mate.”

Troy thought of Beth’s family. How they seemed like nice, supportive people, finding himself wishing that he’d been able to meet them. He hoped for Beth’s sake that they were alive and safe, and he would meet them once this whole mess blew over. But he knew they were on their own.

They held each other for a few minutes until Char and Gretch came in the room, arms loaded with clothes for Beth that didn’t fit them anymore and a duffel for them to pack. “Get out Troy. You and the boys have packing to do. Coop told us to handle clothes for you guys and medical supplies for all of us.” Charlene told him.

Beth smiled at the McCarthy girls and nodded. “Get alpha. Daylights a wastin’”

Her accent made him feel all warm and fuzzy. All the bad shit didn’t seem as bad with her in his life. Troy kissed her cheek and grabbed his fatigues to wear for the day. It was the last day he’d get to wear them anyway.

He found Coop packing their RV with fuel in the keyed storage, and heard Jimmie on the inside cleaning up. It was a newer model they stole when shit hit the fan. Had two actual bedrooms with queen beds, a hide away twin bed in the main room, and if need be an dining table that turned into a bed. It was solar powered, so they could use the pop outs in the main room, run the kitchen and wash clothes. The bathroom had composting toilet and a shower, the tank that provided fresh water held up to 40 gals. Coop and Gretch had been living in the trailer since the group got it, making repairs, switching out the flushing toilet for composting so they could convert one of the waste tanks into more water storage, reinforcing the door and windows with wood and metal so no one could see in or an Infected couldn’t break in, as soon as the door was bolted it would be impossible for anyone dead or alive to get in. Coop’s truck, which was one they had stolen so they could pull the monster RV was already hooked up. The hook up that the attached the RV to the truck was reinforced five times over with chains that were supposed to be bolt cutter proof and five different locks. The truck bed was filled with bags, that Troy knew had to be food, fuel and camping supplies they had scavenged.

“Hey boys.” Troy said, “How’s everyone else doing?”

Jimmie came to the door, “almost everyone is leaving. Only about ten are staying behind. Everyone is making a run on the pantry, but have agreed to only take what they put in. I just stored our weapons and ammo in here. Moved Char and My’s stuff into the main room so you and Beth could have the room.”

“You didn't have to do that Jimmie.” Troy said, “I said I’d take the hide-a-bed.”

“It was more for Beth. I don’t want her to have to go through heat and have me and Char walk in on you guys when we have to use the can.” Jimmie laughed. “We’re set on food and water for a bit, bros got fuel covered, just waiting on you and your girls shit and we’re ready to rock.”

“Everyone else should be gone or going by tonight.” Cooper said, “I say we leave before first light.”

“I agree.” Troy said turning around, looking at all the people he’d grown up around run around gathering what they needed to pack up and go. “This sucks.”

“I know man, but you knew it was going to happen one day.” Coop said as he locked the storage and pocketed the key.

Troy sighed and kicked the ground. “I didn’t expect everything to change so fast.”

“Me either Troy.” Coop said hand clapping on his back. “Jimmie’s going to finish up here then lock up and help the girls. Wanna go with me to see if anyone needs help?”

“Yep.” Troy said. “I need to do something.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so the RV exists, i used a layout i found by looking up 2 bedroom RVs online. Just wanted to see if such a space was possible to find.
> 
> I know Troy giving up the ranch so easily is OOC but his biology is telling him he has to do what is best for his omega, and he knows a war with Walker's group is not one he can win with the milita he has left.
> 
> louisahalewrites on tumblr if you want to chat.


	3. "The only one on my mind..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING NONCONNY SMUT AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER! it will be noted by the words "EXPLICIT HEAT/RUT SEX AHEAD" my first full sexy scene with this level of detail. so eeek.
> 
> if thats not for you stop when you read the sentence and I'll see you in chapter four this weekend!

_You got that power over me, my, my  
everything I hold dear resides in those eyes.  
You got that power over me, my, my  
the only one I know, the only one on my mind._

_Dermot Kennedy “Power Over Me”_

Being on the road with people she felt safe with was a welcome change to Beth from how she had spent most of the apocalypse. Things weren’t good but she had people that would help to keep her safe.

Early this morning, after Troy had done the once over of his bedroom and childhood home for anything he wanted to take with him that Charlene and Gretchen didn’t know to grab they waited at the gates for the last of the Broke Jaw members to leave and Troy said his goodbyes to those that were staying after making sure the pantry and armory had enough supplies to sustain them and their new ranch mates for a few months. Troy had said the others would be able to take care of them as long as they had enough for a head start.

A few elderly couples opted to stay (everyone else was willing to leave after hearing about the water situation, even those with young children) knowing the'd they wouldn’t be able to travel. Charlene’s parents refused to join Troy and Coop’s group because of their fear of Troy, so she watched her new friend saw a tearful goodbye. Gretchen’s family felt much the same and were one of the first to leave, but Gretchen had expected it and didn’t cry much. The only people that Coop and Jimmie had were in the RV, the half-brother had lost their moms years ago, and their dad had just been killed, and Troy was just as alone as the McCarthy boys.

They were each other’s family now, rolling along in a mobile fortress. While the guys drove, Charlene was showing Beth how to use the gifts she gave her. Both women gave her plenty of clothing, and Charlene had gifted her her old gun, another knife, an ankle holster for her old knife, and a belt that had a holder that fit her new gun and knife. Charlene was a badass beta woman, and she told Beth she’d be teaching her how to fight and defend herself, just like she had Gretchen. Beth would have been surprised if she hadn’t heard the woman rant about how designations didn’t mean jackshit, and meant even less now. Beth saw her as a personal hero.

Beth knew they were going to the outpost where Coop and Jimmie’s dad was killed at to bury him, and the plan was to sleep in shifts until tomorrow morning before they hit the road in earnest.

When they got to the outpost, the scene was horrible. The man was scalped, something she had only heard of in history books, and birds were pecking at his brain. Troy shooed them away, killed the Infected shell that was Phill and then he and the boys started to wrap Phil McCarthy in a sheet so they didn’t have to see what the Indians and the elements had done to him. Beth followed Charlene and Gretchen to the shed and they found three shovels. Beth was shocked when both women started digging, but she joined in.

She never wanted to be treated differently for being a woman or for being an omega, and in this world, with this family she had, it seems like she wouldn’t be sheltered from having to contribute. It was thrilling to actually be able to support her mate and her new brother by digging the grave for them while the three of them prayed and cried over the body.

From what she had gathered Phil and his sons were the people that kept her alpha from becoming a compete psycho. Some of the whispers she had heard about Troy yesterday, and Troy’s own admissions scared Beth. But seeing Phil’s body the way it had been left and seeing Troy cry and grieve Phil, his father and brother... made her rethink her fear. She had nothing to fear when it came to her alpha. He would never hurt the people he cared for.

Troy and Jimmie volunteered Coop and Gretchen for first sleep. Jimmie and Charlene took the watch of the land east of the camper, and she and Troy took the west. All the men were wearing what Beth called sashes (Troy laughed at that) that held extra rounds of ammo, and Troy had given her a quick tutorial on using an automatic rifle before handing her one. They each carried a rifle, their handguns and their knifes while they roamed around the property.

She and Troy took the opportunity to get to know each other, in between patrolling and scavenging stuff from the cabin that they could use. Troy was going on about blankets, saying they were headed toward colder lands in hope that the dead migrated out of those areas. He said that Jimmie and Charlene were on the look out for gardening tools and seeds in case they found land safe enough to settle on and grow food.

That sounded nice, being able to settle down somewhere and be safe.

She learnt that she liked her alpha, after getting over her fear of his darkness. The darkness was there and she wasn’t going to pretend it wasn’t, but he was also kind and caring, funny sometimes, and she sensed from him telling her about his childhood, his loneliness, his pain…he just wanted to belong.

It wasn’t the same as her loneliness, but she understood him. She just wanted to belong somewhere too. Growing up one of three omegas your age in a small town was isolating. Being coddled and talked down to by your family was infuriating. Being told she couldn’t do a singing competition a few years back because of her omega status had been the only trauma in her life until the world ended, but she had ton of little interactions everyday that reminded her they thought she was less than.

The sad part was, Jeremiah and Jake Otto weren’t in the minority when it came to omegas. Alphas wanted to always coddle omegas, but many betas could be cruel. Sometimes they were mad they weren’t born alphas, and other times they’d lost out on a job or something because an equally qualified alpha had applied, or any other slight. They couldn’t take it out on alphas, but they could take it out on omegas. They usually didn’t stop at mean comments though, there was a girl in town who was gang-raped by the football team because she said no to sleeping with a quarterback. He and his friend didn't like that, in many eyes omegas didn’t have the right to say no.

Beth was in the front row when the court ruled that the girl’s alpha had the right to kill the boys. They had registered the girl months early so they could find him for the trial. He whipped all the boys within and inch of their lives and sued their families. The girl went home with him that day, not wanting to be stuck in the small town anymore. It enraged her that the official verdict was guilty of ‘destruction of an alphas mate’ but at least justice had been done.

Maybe Beth had a dark side of her own… she had inwardly laughed as those boys cried for the alpha to stop hurting them to have mercy. Where was their mercy?

She told Troy that story. How she felt guilty for wanting harm to others, that it was a sin to be so cruel. But she also, as an omega felt that not enough was done.

“God made the world this way sweetheart, He made you and I in His image. This plague that Infects us, it’s a way to reset humanity I think. It’s a way for us to evolve as a species. The strongest will survive and it won’t matter if what either of their biological sexes are, who ever survives leads humanity into the next phase.” Troy said kissing the top of her head.

Beth didn’t know a lick about evolution; her town was against teaching anything that they deemed against the bible. But Troy was religious and he was well read, she had a feeling that he understood more about many subjects that her home county’s board of education did.

In the distance she saw Coop and Gretchen trade places with Jimmie and Charlene as she and Troy made their way to sit in an abandoned truck bed at the end of the driveway near the cabin. They talked for a bit longer before they saw movement. Troy took a walkie talkie from his belt, knowing each couple had one, to warn the others. “Incoming.”

An Indian alpha, a Latina omega got out of the truck cab. Madison, her daughter, and her beta mate hopped out of the truck bed. “Pleasure to see you again Walker, although I’m less than pleased about the company you keep these days.”

“You and I both know she did you a favor having your father killed. Even if she did it because she mistakenly thought her family was dead.” Walker told Troy. “You promised you would leave.”

“They’re all alive? Pity.” Troy sneered as Coop, Jimmie, Char and Gretchen arrived. “We are leaving, we left the ranch, had to bury a good man, and we're resting up before we drive out of the area. The land’s yours Taqa. I promise you wont see us again come morning.”

“I want them gone now.” Madison growled, “He’s a monster. There's no telling what he’ll do.”

“You’re the ones that wiped out his family lady.” Beth scoffed.

“You dare speak to me after you maimed me you bitch!” Madison yelled leaping in her direction. Walker caught her before she could, but now Troy was standing in front of Beth and her new family all had their rifles trained on Madison and her daughter.

“We came to talk about this water rumor we heard from Madison.” Walker’s omega said, “You left us dying land.”

“You have two months left, without rationing.” Troy said in a near sarcastic tone, “And enough food stores and livestock to feed you all for a long time. I couldn’t make water appear where there is none. I don’t know any rain dances sweetheart. You want me to give up my home, your friends kill my family and you want me to look for water for you too? Are you insane?”

Walker put up his hand. “He’s right. And we probably know more places to get water then they do. He’s to racist to go to the trading post our guys spotted.”

Beth saw Troy shrug, not fighting the claim.

“Please leave the land now.” Walker ordered, “My people fear what kind of retribution you are coming up with, and would feel much better if you left.”

“And we care about your feelings because?” Coop asked.

“Because they will come up here and kill you if we return and say you wont be leaving.” Walker shot back.

Were these people joking? They just took everything from her alpha and her new family and they thought they were bad people that they didn’t even trust to sleep MILES away from the ranch. These people had some nerve.

“Coop, you and Gretch are driving.” Troy said to their group before turning to Walker and the others. “We’ll be rolling in fifteen. That soon enough?”

Walker nodded, “We’ll park at the end of the drive, make sure you go the right way.”

Troy and Coop were growling at this point as Walker and Madison’s group got in the car and drove away. But they quickly set to work. Beth, Charlene and Gretchen put away the supplies they all had gathered in the storages spaces in the RV and below it. While the guys made sure the gas and ammo was supplied.

They all stayed awake and in the truck cab (squished like sardines) as Coop drove out of town. Once they were a safe distance away, Coop and Gretch insisted they all go get some rest since they both had got their eight hours and Jimmie and Char barely had two before they were interrupted.

After she and Troy took off their weapons and got into their bed he whispered to her. “I really want to gather a whole horde and bring it down on those assholes. I would do it too if I didn’t still have you and the others.”

“I understand Troy, but God will give them what’s coming to them. And then some, you have to trust that. We have to focus on our new family’s survival.” She told him before changing the subject with a laugh, “If my Daddy and Mama saw me now…sharing a bed with an alpha I’m not married to for the second time, talking about bloody biblical justice that God will bring our enemies.”

“Baby, we have to work on your dirty talk.” Troy laughed. “But I promise you, first church we come across we’ll say vows before God. That’s as legal as it gets nowadays.”

“That works.” Beth grinned hugging him tighter. “Elizabeth Otto. I like it.”

“Me too.”

* * *

A few days later they believed they were safe enough to not constantly drive and sleep in shifts. They stopped in a town, according to the map they had, they were near the California/Nevada border, and had passed the last of Death Valley yesterday. They spread out in teams and raided the town for supplies, during the day, and by nighttime they had found a place to park and Coop cooked up some dinner.

Troy and Charlene took a folding table and two extra chairs from the seating bench storage and leaned it next to the table so they could all sit around it for a meal. Coop served up a rice, canned peas and salted beef fare and they all tucked in, it wasn’t Mama’s cooking, but it was the best meal Beth had ate since she left home.

“So is there a plan to where we’re going?” Beth asked after a couple of forkfuls.

Charlene nodded. “We all hope that colder weather means less Infected. Or at least slower moving infected. We’re hoping that in the next few months we can make it up to at least Oregon, we haven’t decided if we should shoot for a mountain range or a forest.”

“I’m partial to forests.” Gretchen said. “More chances of fresh water and hunting there.”

“Whichever option works out, we want to get there, set up camp, and start stocking up supplies for winter.” Jimmie said.

“Then next summer, we decide if we move again and what direction.” Troy said, “Don’t want to waste gas driving around without a plan.”

“Tomorrow though, before we split Grecth and I saw a chapel in town for you two.” Cooper said with a wink.

Beth blushed and smiled. “Awesome.”

“Will you do the honors Coop?” Troy asked

“Of-fucking-course.” Coop grinned.

* * *

“We are gathered here today in front of God and family to join Elizabeth Joy and Troy Jeremiah in marriage.” Coop began, “Does this alpha take this omega to be his bonded mate in front of God and all witnesses?”

“I do.” Troy said with a smile

Coop continued, “Do you vow to honor, cherish and protect this omega until your dying breath?”

“I do.”

Her turn. Beth was so nervous, but so happy. It was a bittersweet moment because her family wasn’t here, she didn’t even know if they still lived, and Coop wasn’t a man of the cloth, he was just standing in so they could make their vows to God and each other. It wasn’t like she had imagined this day at all. She always though she’d have a fancy dress, Daddy would give her away, Maggie would be by her side as her maid of honor, Mama would have helped her plan the day down to the second, and Shawn would have gave Troy a good shovel talk right before the ceremony. But that wasn’t this new world, you had to take what you could get. It was sort of perfect that the witnesses to her union were her new family.

“Does this omega take this alpha to be her bonded mate in front of God and all witnesses?” Coop asked her

“I do.” Beth said, butterflies still going through her belly.

“Do you vow to honor, cherish and obey this alpha until your dying breath?” he asked.

The obey part had always bothered her, but she had no objection to accepting it as part of her vows. Troy would never abuse his ability to alpha order her. “I do.” She said with a smile.

“Then it is my honor, as friend, brother and stand in pastor to pronounce you husband and wife. Alpha, you may kiss your mate.”

Troy had kept their kisses pecks on the cheek or on the top of her head so far, knowing how uncomfortable she was with intimacy when not married. So this was her first kiss on the lips. When his lips met hers, and tongue coaxed her mouth open she melted and felt warm. The initial contact and his deepening of the kiss making her feel so warm and wet, like she was about to start a heat. But she couldn't be, she was still on suppressants, she didn’t want to stop them until she got permission from her husband. Mama and Daddy had her on suppressants since she was ten, she never had a heat, and told her she wasn’t allowed to go off suppressants until her alpha said so. It was normal for omegas not to have a choice in taking them. They kept her skinny and feeling weak, but she was told it wasn’t proper.

When Troy broke the kiss, Beth was dizzy. The heat in her veins and the desire for more contact making her hold onto Troy, not letting him pull away fully.

“There you have it! Mr and Mrs Otto.” Coop said with a laugh.

_****** EXPLICIT HEAT/RUT SEX AHEAD****** _

At that Gretchen ran up to her and put her hand on Beth’s forehead. “She’s having a breakthrough heat. It was a wonder that she lasted this long sleeping in the same bed without having one.”

“Shit” Troy said “Have you ever had a heat baby? Because breakthrough heats are more intense depending on how long they’ve been suppressed.”

“No.” Beth whimpered, feeling her lady parts starting to slick, something Mama had only told her about. But that didn’t even prepare her to not get alarmed at the sensation or smell.

“Fuck.” Troy growled, Beth looked at him and his eyes were now a darker blue and pupils were large. “We got to get in the trailer guys, she pulling me into rut.”

“And that scent is going to bring Infected our way if we don’t get you two locked up.” Coop said, throwing Beth over his shoulder and running out of the chapel. Beth looked back and saw her alpha trying to take deep breaths, looking shaky. Jimmie and Charlene were on either side of him, helping him walk. Gretchen was brining up the rear with their bible and guns.

Maggie had always told her it was bullshit how omega’s were put on hormones as soon as they started the beginnings of puberty. She said that if people that felt like they were born the wrong gender or designation weren’t allowed to take hormones or suppressants until they were adults then omegas should be treated the same. But Maggie was a good beta; she didn’t think omegas should be treated differently. Beth had never met an omega who hadn’t been on suppressants their whole life until Gretchen. Her dad just locked her in a storm cellar for her heats, he didn’t trust the government to not poison his child. Gretchen was strong, sassy and just fine. She had the same stance on suppressants as Maggie, saying that no one should suppress what is natural unless they chose to for themselves, and if you weren’t monitored properly on medicine it could be dangerous. But she didn’t know what that meant, she had never been allowed to read about suppressants or possible dangers, and never heard of breakthrough heat or rut.

She was kind of scared.

Coop deposited her in her room, and hugged her. “You’re going to be okay. It will feel better soon.” He said before leaving.

Charlene and Jimmie threw Troy in moments later and shut the door. She didn’t hear anything but the door slamming and a moment later the RV moving. She knew from Gretchen and Charlene telling her that the shell of the RV was scent proof, but the individual rooms weren’t. Passing Infected or alphas wouldn’t smell anything interesting, but her and Charlene’s heats and Troy and Coop's rut would be smelled by all that lived in the RV.

The fire in Beth’s veins got hotter and she felt like she was in pain. She started stripping, not caring about modesty, just needing relief. God it felt like the fires of Hell were burning in her veins. Maybe this was a second part to Eve’s curse? Payment all omegas suffered for the original sin.

As Beth stripped, she barely noticed Troy until he tackled her on the bed. They were both as naked as the day they were born, and he looked rabid. Beth felt the rod against her stomach, it was hard and hot and big. She was scared on some level, not knowing what to expect because the school didn’t teach sex ed, but the part of her that knew what to do, that primal part of her related to Eve made her sinful area release more fluid and told her that she needed to spread for her alpha.

But she couldn’t, his legs were pinning hers closed; she looked at him in confusion. “I’m sorry Beth.” He said, a tear rolling down his cheek, “I didn’t want your first time, our first time to be like this. I wanted us to go slow and have sex when you were ready. Heat and rut sex is so much different then normal sex. It’s rougher, more primal. There’s nothing sensual and loving about it. I wanted to make love to you.”

What a sweet man, a good alpha she had. In the back of her mind she cried in sadness but she wanted that too; she wanted to make love. But her biology was running the show now and her heat demanded the primal coupling that scared her on some level.

The Omega moaned and looked her husband in the eyes, using one hand to wipe away the tear as the other made its way to his rod to feel it. “Mark me Alpha. Make me yours forever. Fuck me. Breed me. Please fill me, I’m on fire.”

Alpha’s eyes were completely pupil and he growled. Quickly he drew back and flipped her over, after taking her hands away. She rose to her knees and spread her legs wide before leaning down on her elbows. He was over her in a moment, her hole weeping more as she felt the head of his rod circle her. Alpha pulled her up by her hair and leaned down so his mouth could lick the gland at the base of her neck. He bit down harshly, making her cry out in pain and pleasure, causing more fluid to flow from her hole.

“Married and marked all in one day.” Alpha purred as he licked the mark and then moved to whisper in her ear, “We’re moving fast baby…now what else did you just beg for so pretty little girl?

“Fuck…Fill…Breed.” Omega panted, losing her ability for stringing together sentences. “ _Please._ ”

“So you want me to fuck your little wet cunt…fill it with my cock…fill you with my cum and knot you so no cum leaks out? Is that right sweetie? You want me to knot you up so you can be a mommy?” Alpha said, still whispering in her ear, as he slid the tip of his cock…she loved that word for some reason…into her cunt…she loved that word too….

“Please Alpha.” She begged, pushing her cunt towards him, his cock sliding deeper.

Alpha pulled back from her, and let go of her hair to grab her hips, stopping their movements, and quickly slapping her ass. “Bad girl. I didn’t say you could fuck yourself on me. Maybe you don’t deserve to me bred. Only good girls get what they want omega.”

“I’ll be good!” She screamed. Alpha laughed and then his hips surged forward, his cock all the way in, and before Omega could scream from the pain, he withdrew and surged forward again, repeating the act at a quick pace, making the pleasure chase away the initial pain.

“So tight. So wet.” Alpha moaned, one of his hands sliding down her front, down to her button. “You’re right omega, you are a good girl.” He said as he started to circle her button, causing more pleasure for her. “I’m not going to last long baby, you gotta catch up.”

That’s when she noticed, that a part of his cock was starting to feel wider at the base and was hurting as he pulled it out. He was about to knot her! That was quick.

Within three more thrusts Alpha stilled, screaming in pleasure, and Omega felt the knot stretch her cunt while his cock coated her insides. Seconds later he pinched her button and she screamed out, joining him in his high.

She felt so satisfied, so good, she still felt the fire in her blood and still wanted to fuck, but the feeling was keeping it away. All she felt was satisfaction, fullness, and her alpha holding her.

She drifted back to earth as her high faded, the fire in her blood beginning to return. Alpha had maneuvered them so they were spooning, his knot only just beginning to soften inside her. He was holding her tight, purring in satisfaction.

Omega began to squirm, grinding herself back into him, her hand drifting down to her button in desperation. “You ready for more baby? You need to slow down, we have at least a week of this, based on how long you were on those drugs.” Alpha said, sounding a bit less crazed and horny.

A week? Weren’t heats only two or three days? “Need more.” She whined as she played with the button. It felt so good.

“Its okay baby. You’ll get more. We’ll play with your clit and titties until alpha’s knot is down enough to fuck you.” Alpha said his hands going to her breasts, massaging them and playing with her nipples while she continued on her button.

She moaned. She liked button better than clit, but the word made her wetter for some reason. And his hands were just playing with her breasts but it made her feel so good. Before she knew it she was cuming again.

When she came to, Alpha was on top of her, he had her legs pinned wide and he was looking at her in the eyes as his hard cock pumped in an out. “Look at how good you take it omega.” He alpha ordered, “You’re such a good girl for me.”

She did, the way he had her positioned she could see his cock disappear in and out. It was hypnotizing. And she felt pride watching her alpha’s long thick cock disappear inside her again and again. Just watching caused the pleasure to build. One of her hands grabbed her right breast, mimicking her alphas earlier actions, the other made its way to her button.

“No touching yourself this time omega. Hands behind your back. You watch only until I tell you you can cum.” He ordered.

Omega whined as her hands obeyed his order, “Please let me play alpha.”

“No slutty girl, not this time.” He growled, “Let your alpha make you feel good.” For some reason him calling her slutty made her cunt release more fluid. “Do you like being called a slut sweetheart? You want me to use nasty words during your heat?”

“Please alpha.” She said panting.

“Such a good little slut,” he said, reaching down to pinch her button. “I’ll teach you to be a good little cock slut, craving only my cock and my knot unless I tell you can enjoy your little clitty and nips. What are you slut?”

“I’m your good little slut. Your omega. Yours.” She pleaded, “Please can I touch?”

“No whore. You do what I say.” He said slowing, his knot forming again, “And you can cum when my knot is inside you. After you cum on my knot, then you can play with yourself until I’m hard again.”

She felt like she was going to cum from just his words, “Yes, alpha.” She said, watching as he pumped, watching his knot grow, feeling the pain as he kept pulling it out and her cunt wanted it to stay. When he finally was cumming inside her, and his knot was fully seated, Omega saw stars, having the best high so far.

Instead of horny when she came down again, she fell asleep feeling bliss.


	4. "I just want the devil to hate me..."

_“ I know that time's gonna take me,_  
_I know that day's gonna come,_

_I just want the devil to hate me._

_Call and I’ll rush out, all out of breath now.”_

_Dermot Kennedy_

In total Beth’s heat and his rut lasted eight days. When Troy woke from his haze he looked down at his wife’s beautiful face and noted she was sleeping soundly. He looked her over and noted he really did a number on her. He had tried to hold back his more primal urges but it was hard to control base desires in an unexpected rut. His poor wife was badly bruised everywhere his hands touched.

Troy was twenty-six, he’d had ruts before. Alpha’s ruts happened less often then omega heats, ruts usually were only once every few years. He usually spent them willing beta women and they never lasted longer than two days. Troy felt dehydrated, hungry, exhausted and sticky. He hoped her next heat was shorter, he didn’t think he could keep up with her like this every six months, especially if he wasn’t in rut, because that’s what helped him recover so quickly.

He kissed Beth’s cheek, and whispered he was going to wash up and come back with food. She batted him away from her before rolling over. Troy laughed at her actions; she was so damn adorable.

He grabbed for a pair of sweatpants and opened the door to find Charlene in the kitchen cooking. “Eight fucking days Otto? Thank God Jim and I are Betas.” She said not looking up from the pot she was standing over. “You two sent Gretchen into an early heat, and she was done before you two even slowed down.”

Troy laughed, walking over to one of the girls that always acted like a surrogate little sister to him, and was the daughter his parents always wanted. He absolutely loved Charlene and her foul-mouth. She had strong opinions and could beat the shit out of anyone no matter their designation or gender. “How did you and James fare Daley?” he asked hugging her form behind as she worked, noting that she was working on some type of stew.

She patted his arms, and then slapped him with a wooden spoon so she could work. “We did just fine. We can fuck each other in between getting shit done.”

Troy let go and laughed. “Anything to report?”

“Back roads were clear of abandoned vehicles for the most part, the snow plow your crazy ass decided was a good idea worked wonders with the Infected we encountered on our way. We made good time. Were at a campground right now on the Cali/Oregon border in the middle of the forest. The boys caught some rabbit earlier; they’re getting rid of the compost and wastewater now. We decided to get some showers and laundry in while there's a stream nearby. You and Beth are last to go for showers; Gretch is finishing up her and Coop’s laundry right now.” Charlene said, “No stew for you two until you smell better. If a lowly beta can smell how rank you are its pretty bad.”

Troy laughed and nodded, making his way to the bathroom, to find Gretchen taking laundry out of the washer/dryer combo. “Hello asshole.” She growled, glaring at him with absolutely no malice “I haven’t had a heat since the world ended and Coop’s birth control shot expired a month ago. If I’m knocked up I’m stabbing you.”

Troy smiled and hugged her, causing her to drop her basket. “Sorry Gretch.” He said, “I didn’t even think our heat would trigger yours.”

Gretchen pushed him off of her, nose scrunched up. “Jesus Christ you stink!” She shrieked. “I’ll fold this in the kitchen, get your ass in the shower before you send me into heat again!”

Troy laughed; both his surrogate sisters were hysterical. “Do you mind waking up Beth so she can get cleaned up after me? She slapped me when I tried.”

Gretchen nodded an closed the bathroom door and Troy showered quickly, throwing his pants in the wash when he was done, and covering himself with a towel . When he left the bathroom, Beth was sitting at the table in a robe his sisters gifted her, blushing at him. “How you feeling baby?” he asked.

“I’m okay.” She said, “Hungry and tired mostly. Gretchen said you were doing laundry after I wash up? I put all our things in a pile and Gretchen helped me change the sheets and blankets.”

He nodded. “I’ll take care of it. You get washed up. Then maybe Charlene will let us have stew.”

Beth giggled (probably already having had her own profanity-ridden run down of the last few days from Charlene) and went to the bathroom shutting the door behind her.

“Do your bedding first.” Gretchen said, “It’s stinking up the trailer.”

* * *

An hour later they were all gathered around the table eating and talking about their next move.

“This is a pretty good place to camp, but we could go further north before we had to stop and get ready for winter.” Coop said, “I think we could make it to Washington.”

“I say we camp here and resupply for a few days. There’s good hunting and a lot of fish in the stream. We can have fresh meat on the road up north and save the persevered stuff we have for later.” Jimmie said.

“Yeah but we should keep moving after Beth and Troy rest up.” Charlene said, “The stew will last us another few meals, and we can catch some fish to get us by, but the sooner we find a good place to prep for winter, the better.”

“We can’t stay here?” Beth asked, “It sounds what you guys were looking for…”

“No, its out in the open, on a known campground, anyone can get to us.” Gretchen stated, “We want somewhere where Infected and People will have a hard time looking for us.”

“Wouldn’t a place like that be hard to get to in this?” Beth asked gesturing around.

“Hard, but not impossible.” Troy said. “The truck is a good one, it will get us there… I think Jim’s right about when to move, we might have to stay here for a couple of days before Beth and I will be able to contribute much. Mine as well resupply and such while we’re here.”

“In that case, we don’t have to ration the food.” Coop said standing up. “Who wants seconds?”

Everyone stated they wanted more stew, probably all feeling weak because of rationing or heats. Coop dished it out and the dinner conversation went to more fun topics. After Beth finished her third helping she leaned into his side and started to doze, smiling and the laughter and conversation going on around her.

* * *

A month later, they had made it to Washington, and found a difficult to get to spot in the forest around near the Cascade Mountains. The trees weren’t so dense that they prevented the solar panels from working, there were a few fresh water sources nearby, it wasn’t to difficult to get there, but they were still hidden from the main hiking trails.

They had unhooked and unloaded the truck a week ago, and the girls started setting up a home for them, while he, Jimmie and Coop made their way out for a supply run of towns in the area. They got some good stuff that wouldn’t only help for everyday life but for the winter ahead. There was one item that had him and his surrogate brothers on edge, the beta and female omega pregnancy tests that Jimmie grabbed at every pharmacy they encountered. Apparently Charlene was late, and had never been before, which caused Troy and Coop to worry about their wives, noting the nesting behavior the two omegas had taken up in the last week. Troy couldn’t count the number of times he caught Beth making a little crib out of blankets in the middle of their bed in the last few days.

“If even one of us are having a kid, we have to stay awhile. We can’t travel with an infant.” Coop said.

“Good news for you two though, they wont have another heat for a couple years if they are preggers, and no ruts for you if there's a kid to tend to.” Jimmie said before shacking his head “Charlene told me the pull-out method was going to get us one day, she told me to stock up on condoms.”

“Yeah, she’s going to kill you.” Troy sighed, “Did you happen to grab any condoms too?”

“Yeah, alpha and beta kind.” Jimmie sighed, “But they expire in a couple years.”

Troy continued driving, musing over the possibility of Beth pregnant. It wouldn’t be the worst thing, but it kinda would suck to happen so soon after they met and married. They barely knew each other, but were already so important to each other. He might even love her; it scared the crap out of him, because the people he loved usually ended up hating him. The trailer would get kinda crowded too with a baby, and if all the women were expecting their palace on wheels would seem very small.

When they finally made it to their temporary home, they saw that the girls had got a lot done in their absence. They retracted the awning and put up the screened in room that attached to the awning (Coop picked it up when he was picking up the truck). They had it as screens now, but Troy knew that there were panels that would keep the room warmer in the winter. He could see inside that they had set up some furniture and supplies out, readying the area to be their main food storage, it looked like they were already starting to salt and smoke meat for storage by what was laid out. Troy also saw a few mounds of dirt to the side of their home, realizing they must have gotten around to digging a trench for waste to empty into. Jimmie and Coop had said they would have to refill water as the needed, as there was no way to keep the pump they had funneling water to the RV constantly.

The girls were by the stream a few yards from camp when they pulled up, it looked like Charlene and Gretchen were tutoring Beth in hand to hand again, which Troy was grateful for and Beth had been taking to like a natural. She still disliked her gun, but at least she was more confident in her ability to use one now and she was getting lethal with a blade.

“You ladies want to help pack this shit away?” Troy called out to them.

All three women flicked him off but walked over to the truck, starting help to sort through the canned food, winter clothing, blankets, snow clothes, camping supplies, weapons and everything else they got their hands on. Gretchen was the one to bring in the box with the pregnancy tests and condoms, one of the last boxes to be brought in. “Shit.” She said, grabbing a test and making her way to the bathroom. “Me first.”

Troy nodded and patted Coop on the back, opting to be the one to hook the truck back up so Gretch and Charlene could do their tests first. Beth followed him. “You think I’ve been nesting?”

Troy nodded.

“Shit.” And then she was silent while he locked the truck to their home. She spoke again when he was done. “Would you be mad if I were?”

“No.” He said immediately, brining her into a hug. “Absolutely not. It was bound to happen sooner or later. You haven’t been able to keep your hands off me since your heat.” He said teasingly hinting that it could have happened at anytime during the last month, but omegas we more 40 percent or something more likely to get knocked up during heats.

Beth scoffed and lightly slapped him. “You’re no angel yourself mister, a lady can’t make it through the day without finding your head between her legs.”

That was true, he was as handsy as she was, he couldn't get enough of her, he was addicted. “Guilty as charged.” Troy said leaning down for a kiss. “I adore my wife. I think I might love her.”

Beth pushed away from him her beautiful blue eyes looking into his, searching for the truth. “Really?”

“Yeah.” He said, blushing. “If that’s okay with you.”

She squealed, probably drawing any dead in the area to them, and jumped into his arms. “I love you too.”

Then Jimmie yelled from the trailer. “Its your turn. So far two little McCarthy’s are coming soon.”

Beth took a deep breath and marched herself into their home. Troy followed after, but didn’t arrive until she was finished doing her bit in the bathroom, because he had to secure the campsite.

“Three minutes.” She said, plopping down to sit at the table, he sat across from her.

It was the longest three minutes of his life waiting for that test but as the blank little screen revealed two plus signs time seemed to speed up.

“What does two plus signs mean?” Beth asked.

“More than one baby.” Gretch said, “It’s a new brand they were marketing this past spring to tell a omega if there's more than one kid in there, so they could seek prenatal care early and prevent miscarriage of a twin or maternal death at delivery. Its only 70% accurate.”

“Two babies?” Troy said in shock, before Gretchen, who was on his right, poked him with her knife. “The FUCK Gretch?”

“I told you if your rut caused me to get knocked up I was stabbing you. Stop crying, it’s only a scratch.” Gretchen said with a grin as the entire room just stared at her, everyone surprised at her behavior. “What if they weren’t pumping their hormones through the air that week, I wouldn’t have gone into heat, and Charlene and Jimmie wouldn’t have gone at each other like bunnies whenever they could of afforded to.”

“Then its me you should have stabbed.” Beth said now growling at Gretchen. “Don’t you dare harm my Alpha again.”

Gretchen looked surprised at being chastised a minute before sighing. “I’m sorry. You’re totally right Beth, it was out of line. Here Troy, I’ll bandage you up.” She said patting him and pointing to the bathroom.

* * *

Time sped by after they found out the girls were pregnant. The winter came and went and soon within weeks, the RV was filled with children. Luckily they were prepared as he and his brothers were able to go into town after the winter was over to get baby supplies.

The screened room had a pack-n-play filled with toys, each couple had a small bassinet by their bed (Troy and Beth’s was bigger because of twins), toys and clothes were everywhere, and they really lucked out by finding enough washable diapers to keep the four babies covered. They only had one baby bath, and one changing mat that they all shared, but there was only enough room for so many things.

The thing Troy didn’t know about babies until he was swimming in them? You couldn’t read their marks when they were born and you couldn’t tell their designations until they were a month old. They had just found out that his nephews were both alphas, and his daughters were both omegas. He had a feeling that if he found a magnifying glass and read his daughters’ marks he’d find the names of the McCarthy boys there. That grated his nerves a little, but it was better than some stranger his girls may never meet, he supposed. At least this way he’d be able to help raise the boys.

Phillip Vernon and Patrick Daley McCarthy (Phil and Pat for short) were rambunctious little boys, who acted like twin brothers rather than cousins. They were always laughing, squirming and babbling, seemingly communicating with each other in their own language.

In contrast, his daughters Margaret Valor and Annette Liberty (Maggie and Libby) were quiet but in different ways. Maggie was the assessing one as if looking for an escape plan (he had a feeling that once she could walk she’d be trouble); she was also a complete Daddy’s girl, pointing and babbling whenever Troy held her, as if telling him about her day. Libby couldn’t be less interested in Troy, she was all about her Mama, and the only time and sound came from her is when Beth sang and the baby tried to match her Mama’s words, any other time she was silent just smiling and blowing spit bubbles at the world around her.

When Beth had told him their names he didn’t get it at first, he had said she should honor her family so he wasn’t surprised at the first names at all. But when she had explained that in her Mom’s family girls middle names were a mother’s wish for her daughter’s future it made sense to him; with the world as it was he wished his daughters courage and freedom and many other things. His girls were blonde haired blue eyes beauties. Maggie had his shade of blue, and Libby her Mama’s, he couldn’t wait to see what they looked liked, see their personalities blossom as they grew.

Personally, he thought he and Beth had taken to parenting the quickest, he didn’t know if it was because their girls were less fussy or because they were that good as a couple but he and Beth were doing the best. Everyone else was doing fine expect Gretchen who was fighting a bout of postpartum after Phil’s birth, but Coop was helping her through and Char and Beth were helping care for the baby boy when Gretch just couldn’t.

Jimmie and Troy would take Gretchen with them when they hunted everyday, knowing that being in the RV, the garden or the screened in room (they called it the living room) with the kids all the time didn’t help her mood, and that had started to lift her spirits a bit.

They still had a good store from the winter but decided that if they had to stay here awhile to raise the babies they would start a garden and build a smokehouse to store meat. Coop, the one better at construction, was in charge of that project, he and Charlene were working on it whenever there was daylight and Troy, Jimmie and Gretchen would join when they were at camp. Beth was content tending to the babies and the garden, saying it was the labor she was allowed to do when she was growing up and she was comfortable with it, and the babies were ‘absolute angels’. She set up a play mat in a kiddie tent so they were protected from the sun , and was never far from them.

She was a great mom, aunt and wife. Each day Troy found himself growing more in love with her.

* * *

“Daddy? What’dya doin’?” Maggie asked as he and Coop dragged the lumber they had hacked down to size into his and Beth’s room.

“We’re making beds for you and your sister Mags.” He said ruffling the five-year-old’s messy hair.

“You kick’in me and Libby out ‘cus we kick you?” she said, standing up on the bed and beginning to jump.

“No pumpkin, you two are just getting big to share with us.” He explained.

“We can share Phil and Pat’s bed.” She said with a giggle, holding up her wrist to show little Phil’s name.

Troy gritted his teeth and turned to look at the wall, knowing his eldest thought it was funny to rile Daddy up. She was just like him, she liked to play with people, find their boundaries, test their patience, see how they'd react when their buttons were pushed. He and Beth decided recently it was best to not react so she'd get bored and stop. Their kid couldn't go around making people mad for her amusement, and yelling at her or putting her in time out hadn't worked. He wasn't going to even entertain his parents' tactic of beating the shit out of him on her, that made him so much worse, sadistic to a point. His little girl just liked playing around, she didn't understand that it was wrong to upset people yet.

Cooper snorted. “The table-bed is a boys only bed Maggie. No boy/girl sleepovers.”

“Awe man. Okay Uncle Coop.” Maggie said, before asking “Can I help?”

“Or you can go to town with Mommy and your Aunties.” Troy offered.

“No thank you Daddy.” Maggie said, “I’m a builder.”

Troy turned to her and grinned “Okay then pumpkin.”

Soon the boys were running in to ‘help’ too, after Jimmie opted to run to town with the girls and Libby, but they were more interested in wrestling on the bed then helping him and Cooper build the girls bed frames and ladders. They ended up making a tiny single bunk on each side of the room (he and Beth would have to jump in their bed from the bottom, and duck to get to the storage), luckily they only had to rip out a few storage compartments so the bunks only were half floating and half inside old storage units. They made them big enough so the girls would be teenagers when they didn’t fit anymore, and hopefully by then they’d have a more permanent home.

It took ta good chunk of the day to finish the project, but by the time the others came back with mattresses and bedding they were done.

Libby was the first that came running in to check everything out. “Mama says you made me my own bed Daddy!” she said giggling looking around.

“Me and Daddy made them Libby! Uncle Coop helped! Look!” Maggie said climbing the ladder to the bunk she claimed on his side of the bed.

Libby clapped and ran over to him, hugging his legs. “Thank you Daddy.”

“You’re welcome little bird. Did you help Mama pick things out?” He asked patting his youngest on the head. Libby preferred her hair braided or a combination of braids and hairtyes, Maggie was allergic to hairtyes, even when she finally realized that Troy himself used them to keep his own hair out of his eyes when he was to lazy trim it.

“I did! I got a purple teddy and a pink polka dot sheet.” Libby said, “And Mama let me pick out things for Maggie, and presents for Phil and Pat.”

At that the boys ran off to see their presents and Maggie glared at her sister. “You didn’t get me polka dots to did you?”

Libby at her sister like she was absolutely done with her, and was thinking about how to handle her. It was times like these he knew that Libby had a little bit of him in her, Beth never made that look at anyone. Maggie had his violent temper, and his calculating ways. Libby was always more reserved, like she hadn’t decided what her personality was just yet. “Don’t be a dummy.” She said, putting her hands on her hip and tapping her foot.

There's his Beth’s attitude. Troy laughed, glad she went with the tame approach rather than starting a fight. His little girls butted heads worse than the McCarthy boys did, and their fistfights were more vicious.

“Is camo bedding and a brown teddy acceptable to you?” Beth asked walking in, “Cuz that’s what your sister insisted you’d like best.”

Maggie tackled Libby in a hug and showered her in kisses, while his wife threw the things on the bed. Troy and Coop stepped around the girls and made their way outside to get the mattresses.

The boys were holding their own blue and green stuffed bears and sitting in the bed of the new truck, looking at all the stuff in both truck beds. “Why are we packing up and making these changes Dad?” little Phil asked Coop, “Last week we took down the smokehouse and stored the meat, yesterday we tore up the garden and saved seeds, today were making sure the girls have bunks and Uncle Jim and Mom are getting ready to put away whats left of the living room.”

“We’re going on the road boys, We need to find a space we can spread out as a family and sustain. This land had been good to us while you kids got big but we haven’t been able to find materials to build a fence to protect us from Infected and people.” Coop said handing Troy one of the twin sized camping mattresses from the cab and grabbing the other.

“Oh. That’s why we got rid of all the baby clothes and they brought back clothes to fit us as we got big?” Pat asked.

“Yep. We don’t know how long we’ll be on the road.” Troy said, “We just have a few more things to do and we’ll be ready to head out in a few days.”

“Where we going?” Phil asked.

“Where headed east kid.” Troy told his nephew as he and Coop went back inside.

It took a few hours to put away all the supplies, get the living room emptied and packed away and for Beth and Troy to clean up their room and get the girls bunks put together but by supper time everything was sorted.

The kids, as always sat in a circle on the floor space between the kitchen and Jimmie and Char’s bunk laughing and joking amongst each other while they ate their supper. Troy and the rest of the adults ate their meal and discussed their plans, checking on the kids periodically to make sure they were eating their food and hadn’t started another food fight.

“So water resupply, truck maintenance, figuring out how we’ll get the new truck and trailer secured when we sleep…”Beth said looking at her list, and checking off what they did today. “Gardening supplies, living room, outdoor furniture, winter clothes, clothes that don’t fit the kids yet, baby things that we didn’t want to give up just in case and buildings supplies are locked in the in the tow trailer trailer; food, weapons, ammo, gas and other things we’ll need daily are in the RV and under storage. Truck parts, spare tires and maintenance tools are covered and locked in the new truck bed;more gas, weapons and camping supplies are in the main truck.”

Jimmie had grabbed a 7x16 foot cargo trailer and a black truck (the same model as the navy one they had) when they were in town so they didn’t have to leave things behind that they might need down the line. Charlene had gone in the dealership and grabbed cab tool boxes, locks and a trailer hitch so they could secure it like they did the other truck. Troy was concerned about the gas two trucks required, but Jimmie went on about great gas milage and that he could grab more gas cans tomorrow so Troy could feel more secure about it. He and the others were more concerned about not starting over when they got to a place they could start a homestead, When Troy and Coop were concerned about getting everyone there quickly and safely.

“Where are we going?” Gretchen asked, “I know we narrowed it down to Nebraska and Colorado but have we decided yet?”

“I think it will be up to what the roads are like.” Cooper said, “I’m partial to Nebraska. I don’t think mountains will allow us to have clear sight lines from all directions.”

Troy nodded. “Its important. But I think not being found by Infected or people is more important.” He said, “But it’s something we cant plan, it’s in God’s hands where we end up at this point. But we all have to agree to stay in whatever place we end up, or we keep going.”

“Agreed.” Everyone chorused.

When the meal was finished, Coop, Gretchen, Charlene and Jimmie took their boys to wash up in the stream, knowing that it would likely be their last bath for awhile. While they were at it, Troy cleaned up from supper, and Beth and the girls converted the table into the boys’ bed and made it up before going to gather their things and Troys for their bath.

When everyone was clean and secured back in the trailer, Gretchen read an old Dr Suess book to the kids on the boys bed. They were all out before the end of Horton’s story, and Coop helped Troy get the sleeping Otto girls into their bunks. Beth was already out like a light by the time the girls were tucked in, and Troy sighed, he wasn’t getting lucky tonight.

Sharing a bed with their two kids the last few years did not slow their sex life down, they just had to be creative about where they made love, sometimes Beth would drag him into the smokehouse during the day, or he’d drag her into the woods. They’d have to coordinate with the other couples, to make sure they weren’t walking in on anyone and the kids were looked after, but it was worth it to have some alone time. But if Troy were honest, he’d love to do it in a bed again, before Beth started having heats again or he went into rut. Heats and ruts were foggy memories when you were out of them; he liked being able to remember his wife’s face while in throws of passion.

Still, he held her close to him as he fell asleep, he hadn’t bee able to do that in a long time.

* * *

Two months later they were making camp for the night in rural Wyoming. Tomorrow they would scout ahead and make the decision which way to go; south towards Colorado or east towards Nebraska.

The roads were okay, a few times they had to turn around because of blockages or just torn up roadways, but they had made good time. They stopped for the night in a small town, parked in the parking lot of an old strip mall. Troy had secured the black truck to a light pole and had just locked the doors to both trucks with his set of keys.

Everyone else was scavenging the mall. Beth and the girls went into a bookstore looking for workbooks, notebooks and pens so she keep teaching the kids she had already started a good collection on the road, and had the kids writing pretty well (they were already reading ok when they left Washington). She promised to check in with him before she made a move on the clothing or shoe store with Gretchen, Charlene and the boys. Jimmie and Coop were were in the military surplus store seeing if there was anything left on the shelves. Troy looked at his boots, it was probably time for him to get another pair and some socks, but he’d wait until his girls had what they needed and would grab the things he needed if there was daylight left.

He was about to go in to heat up yesterdays’ stew for dinner when he heard the screams across the parking lot.

“Alpha!” his wife and Gretchen screamed, fear in their voices.

“Jim!” he heard Charlene scream out in pain.

He looked around trying to determine the direction where each cry came from, because the store Beth was supposed to be in was in the other direction her call came from, he then recognized that his sister’s screams came from the same place his wife's did he ran towards the clothing outlet.

When he approached Charlene and the boys were coming out of the open door of the store, Coop and Jimmie were on his heels.

“They took them.” Charlene cried, holding her stomach Troy smelt the blood. His sister had been stabbed. “It all happened so fast.”

Jimmie knelt down and started to tend to the wound, taking a first aid kid out of the backpack he had.

“What do you mean they took them?” Troy said through gritted teeth.

“Omega traders.” Charlene cried as Jimmie sewed her up. “The were talking about an auction how much a ‘used’ omega would go for. We tried to fight them, but there were ten of them and they worked so fast.”

He and Coop growled and entered the outlet taking in the unfamiliar beta scents (male and female) that stuck up the store. “Stay here.” Troy told Jimmie and Charlene. “Lock yourselves in the trailer and don’t come out until we’re back.

“You know the codeword.” Coop continued. “If we’re not back in two days, leave us.”

Jimmie nodded, picking up Charlene and the boys following him towards the RV.

He and Coop circled the store picking up the scents when he heard it, a small whimpers from the inside a rack in the alpha male clothing section. Troy sniffed, sighing in relief. “Libby, Maggie. Daddy’s here, you’re okay.”

The two little blondes came flying out of the rack and hugged him. “They took Mommy, but she said we had to be quiet and hide so the bad guys wouldn’t see us.”

His smart wife had hid their girls, and he was so grateful. There was no telling what a group like this would do to omega children.

“It’s okay.” He said picking them up, “Daddy and Uncle Coop are going to get Mommy and Aunt Gretchen.”

After running the girls across the parking lot and locking them away with the rest of his family, Troy grabbed a few machetes, an axe and Coop’s bow and quiver from storage before returning to Coop in the store. “You got the scents down?” he said handing the bow, quiver and spare machete to Coop.

Coop nodded, securing his quiver and bow before testing the machete. “Thank God they didn’t get the little ones. So do you want to swap this stuff out and take a truck and guns instead or do this the old fashioned way?” Coop asked Troy a dark look on his face as he looked lovingly at the machete before re-sheathing it and securing it to his belt.

“Old fashioned way brother.” Troy responded with what he knew was a grin just as sinister as Coop’s, he secured his machete to his belt and toyed with the axe for a moment (while he made sure he committed the scents of his enemy to memory) before securing the axe on his weapons belt as well. “Primal, violent, and bloody. No mercy provided.” They both had two knifes (belt and ankle holstered) and two guns (belt and thigh holster), the girls and Jimmie had taken to not wearing their weapons daily in the last few years, just a knife in case they ran into infected. He and Coop were always armed, and now they were even more ready.

With that Coop nodded in agreement while they both did one last weapons check, before they ran out the back of the store, following the scents of their scared omegas. Their alpha hormones allowing them to run faster than a beta. It seemed these assholes were on horses, so it would still take a bit before Coop and Troy caught up but Troy wasn’t worried, he knew these betas were now breathing their last breaths.

He just hoped Beth and Gretchen were okay when they arrived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> louisahalewrites on tumblr


	5. "You decide, if darkness knows you well..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in this Fic Shawn and Maggie Greene ore Beth's full siblings not half siblings. IDK if i mentioned that yet

_“It was all in doubt,_

_they were all around._

_So we hide away and never tell.  
You decide, if darkness knows you well.”  
_ _Dermot Kennedy_

Beth had gathered the large tote full of stuff she could use to teach the little ones and headed directly to the clothing outlet. She had promised Troy she’d tell him when they went to the other store but she wanted to surprise him with new boots, socks and underwear, maybe one of those button up shirts he like to wear (when he left them partially unbuttoned just right the look just drove her wild with lust). Beth considered this time of year their anniversary and he was always getting her things on his runs, or making jewelry for her out of whatever he found in nature that was pretty, she wanted to get him something he wouldn’t get himself until he absolutely had to replace it.

Opting to see what was there for the girls first, she joined her sisters and nephews in the children’s section. Stores didn’t start sorting by gender or designation until the preteen sizes so they all perused the same options for the kids.

When the kids were taken care of, her sisters went to their respective sections of the store and she made her way towards the alpha male section. Libby and Maggie on her heels, excited to help their Mama pick out a present for their Daddy.

It was only a few minutes later when Beth heard the rear door open, she figured it was the boys horsing around before she heard Charlene and Gretchen starting to struggle.

Beth knelt down, whispering to the girls. “Hide in the racks and stay as still and quiet as possible until you know its only your Daddy is nearby and the bad guys are gone.”

“But Mama—“ her babies started to protest.

Beth raised her eyebrow and shoved the girls in a rack, before stepping a few feet away and calling for Troy the same time her sisters called out for their husbands. Alphas and Omegas could hear their bonded mate in distress within a mile of each other, Troy, Coop and the whole family would be here in moments.

The problem was they wouldn’t be here in time to save her, from her vantage point, Charlene was on the ground in a bloody mess, Gretchen was being taken out of the back and beta women were holding the boys back. Four men were on top of Beth before she could draw her knife. She was pissed off, terrified and her children were in danger, she could take a few of them out quickly but she didn’t want her babies to see what the betas may do to her once she killed their friends. So she let them tie her up and take her away.

The whole kidnapping was over in seconds and they were all riding away on horses headed north, the way they had driven from this morning. Beth remembered passing a town a few miles back and seeing people milling about. Troy and Coop had made the decision to not stop and chat, noticing how populated the town was, if they were unfriendly it would be hell to get out safely. They thought they were safe a few miles away, they were sure no one had seen them drive by, and if they had they wouldn’t be interested in interacting.

Maybe they had become stupid in their isolation.

When they stopped riding, arriving at the camp, She and Gretch were thrown in an old omega center, locked in a modified heat vault with two emaciated little girls. Beth cursed when she saw the scared little girls and again when she saw the vault was modified to lock from the outside and ran to Gretchen to assess her injuries.

“I’m just bruised Bethy.” Gretchen said, “We got to get out of here.”

“I know.” Beth said before turning to the girls.

“How long you been here babies?” Gretchen asked, turning to the kids.

“Forever.” the little redhead with blue eyes said shrugging. “They say I’m not old enough to sell until I have a heat or start bleedin’.”

Beth flinched statement but turned to the shivering younger girl with black hair and brown eyes. “How abut you?”

“Mama and Papa sold me for water a couple auctions ago.” The girl said crying again, “Nice people come and promise to get us out of here and they are always sold before they can try.”

“Don’t make promises.” The redhead said, holding the younger girls hand. “It makes us sad.”

Beth nodded turning to Gretchen and looking into her eyes. They both knew their alphas were coming, and would destroy this entire town, but they weren’t going to make promises to the little girls. Actions spoke louder than words after all.

“You know I’m not the best a mothering Bethy.” Gretchen said, “They need more than what I can give.”

Beth nodded, she knew her friend never wanted to be a mom, never planned it. Phil had been unexpected. Gretchen loved her son, and was able to care for him, cuddle him and hold him now, but it took a long time for her to get comfortable with being his mom. When they got out of here they both knew they would insist on taking the girls with them, but Gretchen was saying she’d rather be an aunt to the girls, not a mom. Beth congratulated herself on her new daughters, nodding to her friend in silent agreement, and drew her knife, getting ready for the next time the door opened.

She thought briefly that Troy may have a problem with the obvious non-Caucasian family tree the younger girl came from, her skin tone wasn’t from a tan if she’d been in the vault for a while the tone reminding her of those little omegas at the orphanage all those years ago, but Beth didn’t give a hoot about his prejudices. A child in need was a child in need and Troy would learn to love the beautiful child just as Beth already loved her and the redhead beside her. She knew her husband didn’t really have a hate in his heart for those with different skin color, it was just conditioning from his father and unfamiliarity. Beth hadn’t exactly grown up in a multicultural town, but she was never taught to hate and distrust like her husband had been.

Her Mommy instincts were going insane looking at the frightened little girls. “Do you girls have names?”

“They call us Omega.” The redhead said, shrugging. “I don’t say the other one.”

“My Mama used to call me Rosie.” The black-haired child said.

“That’s pretty.” Beth said with a smile, “Was that short for something? Names are important.” She said has she held up her wrist.

“Rosalie Ann.” The girl said sadly, looking at the name on Beth’s wrist. “Is your alpha nice?”

“He sure is.” Beth turned to the other girl then and smiled. “You can tell me, It’ll be our secret.”

“Lillian May.” The girl said. “Dad joined this community when the dead started to walk, I was the price to get in. I was six.”

So Lily was about eleven going on twelve, to small to be either even close to that age. She’d start her period or heats soon, no matter how emaciated she was. By Beth’s estimation she guessed little Rose was around six, maybe seven. Just a baby when the world went bad.

“Well if you let me, I’d like to be your Mama." Beth said with a smile, “These bastards aren’t taking me away from my alpha or my family.”

Rose ran to her and hugged her; Lily looked at her skeptically and turned away. Beth understood, poor girl has been through it. Beth found herself silently praying that God worked vengeance on the monsters in this town, bloody and biblical vengeance. She hoped He’d use the hands of her alpha and her brother to enact it.

Beth picked up Rose and made her way to sit next to Lily in the corner of the vault. Gretchen soon joined them. The four sat in silence, waiting for the door to open again and see what waited for them.

Beth took the time to read the name on Lily’s wrist. _Carl Richard:_ Strong name, hopefully a good Alpha that would be kind to her girl. She looked a Rose’s though and froze, shocked and hopeful for the future. If the name was the connection that Beth hoped it was, this alpha would be good to her Rose: _Hershel Glen._ This was her brother or sister’s son. Beth felt it in her soul. Had to be. And if little Hershel were anything like his namesake he would be the best alpha her Rose could hope for and then some.

* * *

When the vault door opened an eternity later, Beth and Gretchen jumped up and stood in front of the children, knives drawn. They quickly dropped them when they saw their blood-soaked alphas in the doorway.

Beth launched herself into Troy’s arms and sighed in relief, vaguely aware that Gretchen was doing the same to Coop.

“It’s okay baby. They’re all gone. Burnt to the ground or chopped to bits. No survivors.” Troy reassured her. “And who are they?” he said noticing the children in the cell with her.

“Oh Troy, meet your new daughters. Lillian May and Rosalie Ann.” Beth said with a smile breaking the hug. “Those monsters were going to sell them once they were mature enough to breed.” The look on Troy’s face made her think he was praying for the opportunity to kill the townspeople for a second time, probably finding himself as enraged as she was about the plans these monsters had for the children. “They’re okay now though. They’re ours.”

Troy nodded. “Yes they are. God you’re an amazing woman. But four daughters and you? Are you trying to kill me?”

Beth laughed and stepped back to the girls. “Permission to be your Mama forever?” she asked them, holding out her hand.

Both girls ran to her, they were so small she was able to pick them both up and carry them out of the vault. Coop and Troy verified that no one else was being held captive, before they all left the building and the boys took a match to the wood structure.

Beth loaded the girls and herself on a horse, Troy, Coop and Gretchen each got on their own. Soon the six of them were riding off toward camp. Tonight was about feeding and bathing her new children, reassuring her twins she was okay, and cleaning up her husband.

* * *

They spent a few days camping in the area around the strip mall she and Gretchen were kidnapped from. Jimmy and Coop scouted ahead looking for the best route to take; Beth tended to the kids and Charlene (who wasn’t fatally wounded but she needed rest and to keep things clean to avoid infection); Troy and Gretchen (sometimes joined by the boys and always armed to the teeth) picked the strip mall clean for anything useful always on the look out for anyone looking for trouble. When the kids and Charlene napped, Beth would help pack stuff away but she mostly stayed inside, all four of her girls needed Mama close.

On day one she made sure the girls were clean, and had Troy get clothes that would fit Lily and toys for both kids (including a teddy bear for each, she was a big believer of stuffed animals helping children with anxiety), she also had him retrieve the bags she left at the clothing store and the things she had wanted to get for him. Gretch and Troy decided to pick the clothing store clean while they were at it since they had the room in the tow trailer, despite all the things they brought from Washington and the things they picked up along the way. She then ordered them to look for more reusable feminine supplies, knowing Lily would at least start menstruating soon and they barley had enough for Beth, Gretchen and Charlene’s use. While they were off scavenging she and the twins rearranged their room to accommodate sleeping arrangements for the girls (they weren’t comfortable around Troy just yet so the first night had been hard) Libby moved her things to bunk with Maggie so Lily and Rosie could share the bunk next to Beth.

On day two she started to feed her newest daughters four times a day instead of the two meals and a midday snack everyone else was used to, to help with their malnutrition. The boys and the twins didn’t protest, and were very encouraging to both girls. She didn’t force them to do school with the other kids but she encouraged them to play card games and color with the others, so they would start to bond.

By day three Beth decided that she was wrong about her guess of Rosalie’s age, she had thought she was around seven or eight and was just underweight like Lillian but she noted the girl had more muscle than her older sister and didn’t remember seeing Infected (she was terrified when she saw one walk across the parking lot that day, not knowing what it was). If she were an older toddler when it started, and with her parents on the road for awhile she would remember Infected. Beth decided she must be around the twins’ age, maybe younger. She had only guessed any older because the girl remembered her name and said she’d been in the vault for a lot of auctions. Those bastards must have had actions more frequently than Beth thought.

On day four after the strip mall was picked clean of anything that would be of use, the boys returned with solar-powered RV that was driven from the inside and filled with fuel.

“Already scent-proof and off the gird.” Coop said, “found this campsite along the way, dude was killed but they left all his stuff, probably not knowing what it was. We gassed it up, and discovered tools and extra solar panels in the cargo, all the other supplies were gone. Things a mess but at least a few of us can sleep in here, it’s getting cramped in our place.”

Beth nodded, it certainly was getting crowded, and she didn’t love the idea of making the girls share the single beds for long. Troy then suggested they move camp to the hardware store he saw down the road so they could clean the RV and do what they needed to make it suitable. It didn’t take long to move the camp, and she and Troy set everything up while the kids played and the guys and Gretchen went to clear the hardware store.

After everything was secured, and Charlene agreed to look after the kids, Beth and Troy went to check out the new motor home. When she walked in behind her husband, her first impression was the smell. It smelled of rotting Infected, death. To her right was the cab, with two spacious seats. Above the cab were supplies to convert the space above into a sleeping space. To the left of the entrance was the kitchenette, which was very similar to the one in their current home, but a small pantry cabinet was attached to this one. Across from the doorway was a dinette, probably the same size as the one in their home, but it didn’t look like this one readily converted into a bed. Next to the dinette was a sofa, and as Beth was observing her surroundings her husband had already pulled the cushions apart to find that the sofa was a hide-a-bed. There was barely any room to walk, but Beth could see that the dining room/sofa and the storage above was part of a pop out. Beyond the main room they found twin bunk beds across from a small powder room with a composting toilet, and behind that space was a large master (was that a king bed?) that had tons of storage and a stacking washer/dryer. And lastly behind another door was a bathroom with a second toilet, small wash sink, tons of storage and a shower, in this bathroom two solar panels were stored.

The place was a palace, and someone had obviously done a ton of work on it, removing TVs and other items not of use any longer and replacing them with handmade storage. The composting toilets were obviously not original, and some of the appliances were mismatched, probably so they would work with the solar power (Beth saw installed panels on the roof). The shell was scent proof, which was needed these days more than it ever was. Obviously the previous owner put a lot of love and work into this home.

Beth found it sad, seeing the bloodstains everywhere, and seeing the rotting flesh in a few places. Whoever used to live here was gone now because they ran into the wrong sort.

“Its perfect.” Troy said with a smile, turning to her after his assessment. “Coop told me he got it with us and the girls in mind, him and Jimmie are done with kids and wont need the space.”

Beth smiled. “Nothing a little work wont make perfect.” She said. “I can teach the kids at the table and wont have to pack things away for the night. The girls wont have to share beds anymore if they don’t want to.”

Troy smiled and looked around. “I think we’ll have to reinforce the door for sure, and seal up the windows. Not the ones in front of course, but everything else. Maybe we can use the some lumber and metal to make a wall behind the cab so no one can break those windows and get in easily once we seal it off for the night?”

“That was my thought too.” Coop said, walking in the home carrying bleach and scrub brushes. “I figure we clean today and start modifying the next few days.”

Troy nodded. “Sounds good. We’re not moving in until we can secure this place though.”

“Of course not.” Coop said, “Gotta keep the Otto girls safe.”

Beth ran to Coop, hugging her brother and jumping up a bit to kiss his cheek. “Thanks Coop.”

“It wasn’t his idea, but of course big bros taking credit.” Jimmie said walking in. “Gretchen and Charlene are cooking. They say that if this place isn’t clean by dark we aren’t getting supper boys.”

Beth giggled and gave Jimmie a hug and kiss too. “Thanks Jimmie. You’re the best.”

“Don’t I know it Bethy.” Jimmie said with a grin.

“Did you two figure out which way we’re going?” Troy asked the brothers.

“Nebraska’s out.” Coop said, “Roadways are shit, and the one that isn’t looks like a no go for us. Road signs painted in omega blood advertise a brothel that way. I guess we know where those traffickers were selling.”

Beth felt sick, they were pimping out omegas, its probably a place her girls or her would have ended up if things had have gone different. “Can we save them?”

Troy looked at her in pity. “No Beth. You and the girls safety matters more.”

Beth growled. “That could’ve been them if Gretchen and I weren’t taken! That could’ve been me if I hadn’t run from Pastor Jones!” she yelled at her husband. “Those people are someone Troy. They matter.”

“This conversation is over Elizabeth.” Troy alpha-ordered. “It’s not safe, the plan is to get this home ready to move in and go south.”

Beth glared at him. He rarely alpha-ordered her when they weren’t having sex. She could count on one hand the number of times he’d done it. Asshole.

Beth stomped out of the home and to her current one, slamming the door behind her when she arrived. The kids looked at her in shock, but Gretchen and Charlene simply looked at her questioningly before asking the kids to take their game of go fish to one of the bedrooms and shut the door.

When all six of the little ones were in Beth and Troy’s bedroom Beth told her sisters what she’d learned about the brothel nearby. Both of them were as mad as she was about not saving the women and men trapped there.

“We go without them then.” Charlene said. “He only ordered you to stop the conversation with him or you wouldn’t have been able to tell us. He probably didn’t order you not to go.”

Beth grinned. “He didn’t. But Gretchen and I can’t go alone.”

“I’m going to.” Charlene said. “I’m as healed as I’ll be for awhile. I can fight. We can leave tomorrow while their working on the other house. Lock the kids in here, tell them not to open the door unless its for their Dads…by the time the guys notice we’re gone they wont be able to stop us…and they wont be able to follow because of the kids.”

Beth was silent. She didn’t know if she could leave her kids to go on a stupidly suicidal mission to save strangers. But she needed to go, these strangers needed help.

“We’re both mated and marked Beth, another alpha wont be able to alpha-order us.” Gretchen said, “We just have to be careful not to get physically overpowered.”

“Mama? Are you leaving?” Lily asked from behind her.

Beth turned around and saw that the door to her room had opened and all the kids were tearing up at the thought of their mothers leaving.

“Not forever baby.” Beth promised, “Your aunties and I want to go save some omegas that are being hurt. But your Daddy and Uncles want us to stay far away from the bad people to keep you all safe.”

The kids nodded but were still tearing up. Charlene and Gretchen scooped up their boys and snuggled them and Beth knelt down on the floor, opening her arms so all her girls could hug her.

“You have to save them Mama.” Maggie said, “Like you saved our sisters. We’ll be good for Daddy.”

“I don’t want the bad-people to hurt you Mama.” Rosie cried.

“Mama you got to be super carful.” Libby begged.

“Promise you’ll come back.” Lily begged.

“I will come back, and I will be careful.” Beth told them, “Mama always comes back. But I can help these people.”

The girls nodded and Beth squeezed them. “Promise you wont tell Daddy where Mama went until suppertime tomorrow?” The girls all nodded. “Thank you sweet girls.” Beth said, kissing all of them.

The kids didn’t feel like playing after that, so Beth busied the girls in setting out dishes and utensils while Charlene finished up the meat and Gretchen and the boys finished up the canned veggies and rehydrated potatoes. When the dinner was cooked they served the kids first, letting them eat at the table before getting them ready for bed. They only retrieved the guys after they tucked the girls in their bucks and settled the boys in Coop and Gretchen’s room (for now) so the adults could eat.

When the guys came in smelling of bleach and disinfectant, satisfied that the new home was all cleaned up, and was locked up for the night, they commented how it was odd the kids were already asleep and not eating with them. Beth made an excuse that they were irritable from not getting a nap, so they fed them and sent them to bed early. The guys quickly realized that Beth and her sisters weren’t speaking to them, after Charlene and Gretchen made it known that Beth told them about the brothel, and extracted the direction it was in from Coop and Jimmie. Beth felt a little guilty seeing Troy look like a kicked puppy over the silent treatment and when Beth kept shrugging away from his attempts at PDA, but she was pissed at the alpha-order, and pissed that he didn’t want to save people that needed saving.

* * *

The next day, they took a truck and told the guys they were going to see if the town had a housewares store to get linens for the new house. The guys weren’t suspicious, even after Charlene loaded the black truck up with guns and ammo as Beth set up Libby, Rosie and Lily in the new house’s master bedroom to play and color while everyone else was working.

Beth felt sick leaving behind her babies and lying to her alpha so she did it as quickly as possible before she could change her mind. Within twenty minutes of finishing breakfast Charlene was driving the three of them away from camp and toward the highway were Jimmie saw that there were signs in omega blood for the brothel.

It took four hours to see the signs directing them up the highway, and another four to arrive at the town off the highway. They parked at a convenience store just off the exit and observed no signs of life at any of the business off the exit. It made sense as it was mostly fast food and gas stations, and they wouldn’t have any use for the places once the food and gas were gone. Gretchen took out a pair of binoculars and looked around.

“They’re at that motel.” She said pointing down the road, “Two buildings, and two floors each. I see twentyish people walking around.”

“Do you see hostages?” Charlene asked.

“They just pulled a guy out of a room on the second floor, he’s being dragged down the stairs by a chain.” Gretchen said, “Guess he did his job...dragging him into a downstairs office…that’s probably where they keep the property when not being used.” She finished sounding disgusted.

Beth’s anger stirred again. Omegas weren’t property. They weren’t something to be bought and sold. They were people, with thoughts and feelings. All omegas deserved respect. She was so pissed that this damn virus took away what little protection her kind had and pushed them back into the dark ages.

“Motherfuck.” Gretchen said, stopping her rant. “Dude just came out of the office with a bloody knife and a chain. Now he’s talking to one of the guys that ambushed us.”

“He probably rode out immediately looking for buyers for you girls.” Charlene said, “He might not be the only one the guys missed.”

“Dude probably killed the guy because he can make more off of female omegas.” Gretchen sneered.

“We need a plan.” Beth said, not wanting to think about the person she couldn’t save and wanting to focus on who she could save.

“We can take it now, its getting dark, that will give us some cover.” Charlene suggested, “I’ll shoot the rocket launcher to the second building…it looks like that’s where they rest their heads. I’ll pick off the survivors with my rifle. Gretchen will cover you as you go for the prisoners; picking off anyone headed your way or any customers in the second building. That should leave you with just the guards. We’ll come help when we’re sure we’re clear.”

Beth nodded, it was the best they could do with three people, they weren’t alphas hopped up on hormones: they were just pissed off women. Her hormone-induced strength wouldn’t kick in unless she or her family were in danger, she’d have to rely on her training for this mission.

They observed the camp a while longer, getting a count, noting that the group mostly used the second floor of each building with the exception of where they kept the omegas (probably to keep Infected from walking in) and had an official count of thirty people living in the motel, including the omega captives they saw.

“How did you get a rocket launcher, night vision goggles and sniper rifles by the guys?” Gretchen asked.

“Easy, they weren’t paying attention to me, I just said I wanted to take weapons just in case and they gave me the keys.” Charlene shrugged, “Okay it looks like its bedtime…let’s do this.”

Beth drove right into the motel’s parking lot and parked at the far side, away from the second building, Charlene and Gretchen in the bed of the truck. The two guards watching them seemed to be uninterested in stopping them, probably thinking they were customers or lost, until Charlene stood up and fired the rocket launcher, and Gretchen shot the guards in the head.

As both her sisters started to kill survivors, Beth ran to the second building and towards the office. She had her gun drawn and ready to go. She would kill to get home to her babies and her alpha; God would forgive her for it.

As Beth ran into the office, she saw two beta women run out of a storage room in the back. Beth shot them before they noticed her. If they were here they were complicit and deserved justice. Beth walked slowly past their bodies, (after picking a ring of keys one had dropped) and into the storeroom, only to find a door labeled ‘management only’ towards the back.

She slowly made her way down the stairs; getting colder the lower she went. At first it looked like a normal basement, water heater, HVAC unit, electrical boxes etc…until she noticed the bodies chained to the pipes and the bodies piled up in the corners of the room, the screams and cries of the room were haunting. One girl was still chained up but very dead, it seemed like she had already killed the girl chained to the same pipe as her and she was trying to get to the others. Three other girls were screaming in fear, not noticing Beth, and one was weeping holding another dead girl next to her (that one had been shot in the head).

Beth shot the Infected girl and all the omegas in the basement noticed. “My name’s Beth. I’m going to get you out of here.” She told them, holstering her weapon and making her way to the crying girl.

“I cant live without my sister.” She said, still holding the body.

Beth didn’t know what to say, she just kept freeing omegas from their chains. They all looked haunted, and all couldn’t stop looking at the dead bodies throughout the basement. But they all ran once they were free, except the girl who lost her sister. Beth walked back over to her and held out her hand.

“Let’s go.” Beth encouraged her; “You can come live with me.”

The girl stared at her, grieving pained eyes looking at Beth as if she were an inconvenience before calmness came over her expression. Beth thought it meant that she was going to take her hand but that was not the case. The girl started to bang her head on the pipe with all her might. Given her obvious malnourishment, weakness, and injuries she sustained it only took two hits and she was out, her brain partially exposed to the world and partially on the pipe.

By the time Beth realized what happened, the girl was gone and all she could do was put her knife through her brain to make sure the girl didn’t turn.

Beth took some time to compose herself, trying to take comfort in the fact that they were able to save three omegas, before leaving the god-awful basement. She didn’t hear gunfire anymore so poked her head out of the office to make sure her sisters were safe. Seeing Charlene and Gretchen chatting with the freed women, reassured Beth. She then went to look around the storeroom looking for anything of use.

There was nothing useful, but Beth’s eyes locked on a box of spray paint and grinned, grabbing it before making it outside to find her sisters. They were waiving at a truck that was driving off. “They don’t want to stay with us?” Beth asked.

“No. They said thank you but they want to find their families, see if they’re still alive. They promise to stick together.” Gretchen said, “We gave them a map. They took the water, food, weapons and gas that these assholes had stored.” She said pointing to a kicked in door on top of the intact building. “They had a plan for awhile about what to do if they got out, but never a way to get free.”

Beth nodded. “We couldn’t save them all.”

“Yeah they mentioned it. Apparently the bastards beat one so bad with a pipe earlier because she didn’t satisfy a client, she died and killed another girl. Then they killed this one girl because she’s been here to long. I’m glad these bastards are all dead.” Charlene said, “What do ya got there Bethy?” she asked looking at the box Beth held.

“I figured that we could advertise that this place it permanently out of business.” Beth shrugged, setting her box down.

Her sisters jumped to help, using a lantern to help write their message in the blacktop parking lot. When they left for home they left behind a message in white.

**OUT OF BUSINESS - FOREVER.**

**OMEGAS ARE NOT OBJECTS.**

**JUSTICE IS SERVED,**

**THE McCARTHY-OTTO SISTERS**

**CHAR, GRECTH AND BETH**

Charlene and Gretchen signed their name in orange but Beth, on a whim, sent a message with her signature. Hoping that her sibling, the one that was still alive naming their son Herschel, would see it and know she was alive too. She knew she was crazy, she knew she only had her gut telling her someone was still alive, she had no real evidence anyone survived the virus except her. And even if they had survived, there was no reason to believe that they would make it here to this place.

Despite all that, she signed her name in bright green.


	6. "That lesson of love..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EXPLICIT SEX SCENE IN THIS CHAPTER- IT WILL BE NOTED.
> 
> Ok so I think I might be more open to a sequel to this fic than i am to doing a "Fear The Living More..." sequel. 
> 
> LMK your thoughts when you finish up ok?
> 
> I've been feeling ill and terrified that its you-know-what so i'm uploading chapters 5-7 all at once. I dont want to leave this fic unfinished... so make sure you get everything in the right order.
> 
> chapter seven is more of a bridge to a potential sequel than a completion of Troy and Beth's story. You can call it a deleted scene for the end of this chapter (because this thing is a monster)

_“That lesson of love, all that it was,  
I need you to see,_

_You got that power over me.”_

_Dermot Kennedy_

Troy was murderous when his wife and sisters arrived at camp that morning, smirking like they won the damn lottery. They put themselves in danger, they gave no regard to the fact that they could have died, and Coop, Jimmie and Troy couldn’t follow after their suicidal wives because they needed to keep the children safe.

Jimmie immediately started yelling at Charlene, and epic fight beginning as he helped her unload the truck. Coop immediately bent Gretchen over and started spanking her, knowing that Coop would completely forgive and forget after he got a few swats in, Gretchen let him continue without protest. Beth just started at him, waiting for what his reaction would be.

The thing was he and Beth had never fought over something this big, they weren’t like the McCarthy couples who were seasoned at resolving the tiniest and hugest disagreements. Jim and Char needed to yell it out then hate-fuck to move on. Coop and Gretchen had a corporal punishment thing going both ways where they let each other have it until they weren’t mad anymore. He and Beth never had disagreements. Ever.

Yes they’ve had little snips about stealing covers or how long a time out for the kids should last…nothing where they actually disagreed about something, never had he ever been truly pissed at her. They had always been on the same page when they lived in Washington, but now that they were actually out in the world they had different views on how to live their life; he wanted to keep what was his safe at all costs and she wanted to save the damn world from all injustice.

He never wanted to hit a woman outside of sex, and he never felt inclined to raise his voice to anyone when he was angry, so he didn’t see any of his siblings’ routes of resolving issues working for him, or for Beth. And he was to pissed off to talk to her just yet, he couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t say something he didn’t mean.

So before she could walk to him and hug him, giving him an apology he knew she didn’t really mean, he walked away to work on their home. God knows why he was working on a safe home for her and their daughters, she wouldn’t appreciate safety he wanted to give her if there were people in the world that needed saving.

But he didn’t give a rats ass about other people! He only cared for the safety of his family. His brothers, sisters, nephews, wife and daughters were all that mattered to him. Sure he wasn’t happy about atrocities others were using the apocalypse as an excuse to commit, but honestly he had no moral ground to stand on. His experiments had been an excuse to be sadistic and cruel, a way to punish the world for his childhood, for his family and community hating him, for his mother’s death. Finding out about why they spoil was just a convenient excuse to get the militia to help him. There was no telling what horrors he would have brought to the world if Beth hadn’t showed up. He had never told Beth the true extent of what he did at that military depot and he never would, she still thought he only killed people that were already on deaths door, ones that couldn’t be saved and timed the deaths and she was uncomfortable with _that_. She didn’t need to know that he did much more than that, and enjoyed it.

He wasn’t a fan of what people were doing to omegas out there, but he’d done worse to all designations, genders, and races. He couldn’t really judge, if he did then he’d be just like that Clark bitch. His only concern was his family and everyone else could suck it.

He went into the new home and sat on the sofa staring at what needed to be finished and trying not to think at how pissed he was at Beth. They had finished the wall yesterday, and made it so the over-cab bunk wasn’t collapsable, he just needed to finish the ‘door’ that when they bolted it in place to camp, no one could break in the front window and get into the home. His brothers had finished reinforcing the windows and repairing the pop-out yesterday, they were going to work on reinforcing and adding bolts to the door today, whenever they made up with their wives.

“Daddy are you okay?” came a little voice from the door.

Rosalie was there looking at him questioningly. She was the one who innocently broke the news yesterday saying her Mama was a superhero going to rescue other omegas while she and the other kids had their midday snack. They tried to queit her but he had already heard it, and was worried, soon they had all spilled the beans and he and his brothers were frantic unable to do anything about it.

“Daddy is just upset.” He said trying to smile and reassure her. Lily was still terrified of men but she at least tolerated him now. Rosie had warmed up to him quick, it only took a few days for her to look him like he hung the moon.

“Because Mama was in danger?” she asked, walking in the home and to the sofa.

He nodded in response and helped his smallest daughter sit on the sofa next to him. “I couldn’t protect her. She could have been hurt.”

“But you had to protect us Daddy. She knew you couldn’t be superhero because you are a super-Daddy that protects us the best.” Rosie said in explanation.

Troy hugged the little girl next to him, knowing she was trying to help. “It’ll be okay little rose, your Mom and I will make up. You don’t have to help.”

“Maggie is the mini-you, Libby is the mini-Mama, and Lily is the mean one …I thought I could be the fixer?” Rosie told him.

Troy snorted, “First of all Lily isn’t mean, she’s just scared. Second of all people are more than who they act like or what their biggest personality trait is. You can be whatever you want to be Rose, but it isn’t your job to fix me, your Mama or anyone.”

Rosie wrinkled her nose at that and sighed. “But you and Mama looked so sad, I don’t want you to be sad and sell me like my last Mama and Papa did.”

Troy picked her up and held her tight. “I will never ever sell you or any of your sisters for supplies. No one in this family will even think about selling anyone for supplies. You are stuck with us. You understand?” Rosalie nodded, but Troy saw that she didn’t really believe in what he was saying. “Go play with your sisters and cousins, Daddy has to finish the house so we can move in this afternoon.”

After the little girl left Coop came in with his tools. “Jimmie went to make sure Beth goes to get linens for real this time. Charlene and Gretchen have the kids. Lets knock this out. I’d like to get on the road soon in case revenge comes our way.”

Troy nodded, and in a few hours he and Coop were done. Beth and Jimmie arrived back and she started to make the beds in the house (or tuck the linens nearby when it came to the sofa bed) and put away towels and blankets she grabbed for them. Beth tried to talk to him but he simply glared at her, he wasn’t ready.

While she made up the house he directed the girls in packing up their room and moving (he handled his and Beth’s stuff), while they were moving their stuff out, Jimmie and Charlene were moving themselves in and Gretchen and Coop were moving the boys’ things to the sofa bed.

It was a clusterfuck for about an hour before he and his kids rounded up all their stuff and were able to carry it over to the new house. Coop brought over a ladder for them after he took apart the bed in the old room (so Charlene and Jimmie could use the cubbies as storage) so the girls could get up to the over the cab bunk (the bunk beds had a ladder). Lily and Maggie had claimed that space for themselves neither of them wanting anything to do with the sofa bed until they were in a permanent home. Libby and Rosie had claimed the top and bottom bunk beds (Libby top and Rosie bottom) and Beth was helping them unpack, Troy handed her the two duffels of his and her things and then a bag that held the things Libby and Rosie couldn’t fit in the bag they shared. Troy then made it over with the extra bag of Lily and Maggie’s he had. Each of the girls was able to carry their own backpack of precious items but the bulk of their clothing was delegated for Troy to carry over. He showed Lily and Maggie the storage under and over the dinette that was theirs and told them to get to work before he ran back over to the other house for pillows, blankets, toiletries and his weapons.

It took a couple of trips, but it was all transported by sundown. Their sisters volunteered to make dinner so they could get settled in and Coop and Jimmie could pack up the locked storage under the new home with recently scavenged food, gas and other things they needed quick access to. They were only going to use the tow trailer for rarely needed supplies, and had already taken the solar panels from the bathroom before the move.

The bunks were made, all clothing put away, the girls coloring put on the fridge, and they were headed over to dinner, but still he refused to speak to Beth. Even through dinner when the three girls recounted their story he didn’t speak. He was sure that throughout the day he’d get less angry with her but his anger had built steadily throughout the day. Troy felt like he was about to combust he was so mad.

Even as he tucked his girls in for the night and showed Beth how to secure the house the anger built. It wasn’t until they were in their new room that he said anything.

“Did you even think what would have happened to me, to our children if you had died?” he gritted out before punching the dryer.

“Troy. I had to do something!” she said before opening the sliding door and telling the girls to ignore the loud sound he just made, everything was okay.

“No you didn't have to do anything.” He said when she shut the door again. “You certainly didn't have to run off on a stupid suicide mission where it was only dumb luck you didn’t die.”

“I can handle myself Troy. You taught me, the others taught me. I can hold my own. I’m strong. And I can use my strength to help.” She said defiantly, arms crossed foot tapping.

“Strength is only good if your smart about things. One wrong move and you're dead. If those betas had been alphas, smelt the gunpowder and your scent you would have been captured.” He growled. “It isn’t your job to be everyones hero. Its your job to stay alive.”

“I’m not the scared teenager you met Troy. I’m a full grown woman with my own opinons. I believe that we should help anyone that needs it whenever we encounter them.” Beth said.

“Not at the expense of your life, not at the expense of the girls growing up without you, not at the expense of me losing my mate.” Troy said beginning to cry, his emotions bubbling the way they only did around his Beth. “I know you want to help, but you have to think before you do something like that. I can’t lose you Beth. You may be strong but I’m not. I’m not human without you, I'm a monster.”

Beth hugged him, sobbing herself now. “I know I shouldn’t have gone off alone. I should've trusted that you wouldn’t alpha-order me to not go and maybe you would’ve been able to help. Who knows maybe we could’ve saved more of them.”

He held her tight the two of them sobbing for a few minutes. “I’m still pissed Beth, I don’t know how we’ll get passed this... I cant trust you.”

“Order me.” She suggested.

“What?”

“If it will make you feel more secure, make you forgive me, alpha order me to never willingly put myself in danger without your consent.” She said, “You wont ever trust me again if you’re always worried about the next time I run off on a rescue mission. This way it requires your permission for me to launch one.”

Troy thought about it, not loving the idea but knowing she was right. He looked her in the eyes and deepened his voice to give the alpha command. “Elizabeth Otto, you are never to knowingly put yourself in dangerous situations without your alpha’s consent.”

She shivered, the command taking over; he hated alpha ordering her outside of sex (they both liked it then), but it was the only way to make sure she'd listen to him sometimes. He’d only done it a couple times and they were all times she was in some sort of danger or not listening to him. They were always to stop an action or protect herself (like ‘watch out!’ or ‘stab that Infected!’); they were never as extensive as the one he just gave.

“Feel better?” She asked.

“Feel like a shit alpha.” He admitted.

They hugged again, “Do you want to try fucking? The girls say it’s a wonderful way to resolve a fight. Get out your more vicious emotions without saying something nasty…they call it hate-sex I think?” she said with a grin

Troy laughed. “I couldn’t hate you. But I do feel like someone needs a good pounding to learn her lesson.” He said purring hands finding their way under her tanks and tearing them away from her. “Strip.” He said. Not an order but she still obeyed.

******EXPLICIT SEXUAL CONTENT AHEAD******

Motherhood and not being on those fucking drugs had changed his wife’s body. She was still tiny, but her arms and legs had muscles on them, she had a bit of a belly, her ass was perfectly squeezable and her tits were closer to filling up his hands than the were the first time he squeezed them. She was as beautiful now as she was then, just less shy about her sexuality than she was those first few weeks after her first heat.

She stripped like a pro and the little vixen walked over to him, looking him in the eye as she undressed him. When he was nude she slid down onto her knees, still locking eyes with him the whole time until her perfect mouth closed around the head of his cock and she moaned.

“Fuck Beth.” He moaned, she was really fucking good with that tongue of hers, and had him as hard as a rock in seconds.

“That’s the idea Troy.” She giggled taking her mouth off him to use her hands on his balls to tease as she looked up at him teasingly. “I want you to rail me baby. Make me feel the pain I made you feel before I get to come.”

Troy grabbed her by the hair and dragged her up before trowing her onto their bed, he bent down and grabbed her discarded underwear and stuffed them in her mouth. “Don’t want to wake the kids do we? Don’t want anyone to see how Mama gets punished.”

He chuckled as his wife rolled her eyes at him but still spread her legs. He positioned himself over her and she wrapped her legs around his hips.

He slid his fingers in her heat testing. He was ready to go now, and she was saying he needed to rail her but he wasn’t going to if she wasn’t ready yet. She was, but he still worked her clit and worked finger after finger into her until his whole fist disappeared into that pretty little cunt.

He was glad he shoved those underwear in that mouth because she was shrieking against the gag as she came on his hand. He laughed as he took the gag out. “Clean me up.”

She moaned as she completed her task, and soon he was fucking her mouth with his fingers as he was sliding into her heat. “Don’t make a sound until I cum. Be a good girl and take it.” He ordered.

He felt her cunt squeeze around him at the order and smirked, she loved the alpha order in bed, that’s for sure. He then knew it was safe to take his hand away from her mouth.

He gave her what she asked for. He railed her so hard she’d have a hard time walking for a few days. He tried to get her to understand his pain, his worry, his fear all the emotions he felt when he found out what she had done. Using his cock he tried to communicate what he hadn’t been able to tell her. He didn’t think he fucked her like this ever not even during those first times they were together.

When he came he buried his face in the pillow next to her head and covered her mouth with his hand. As his order was lifted she came too and she held him as he collapsed into her.

“I’m sorry.” She wept when he removed his hand. “I’m so sorry."

“Me too.” Troy said, “Did I hurt you? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine sweetheart.” She reassured, scooting over and grabbing the blanket on the side of the bed they’d yet to put on the bed. “Let’s get some rest, tomorrow is a new day.”

******EXPLICIT SEXUAL CONTENT ENDS******

* * *

It took a week of living and driving the new home to get used to it. They both needed practice diving and were slow at it, earning them a place in the back of the family caravan. The original truck and house was first, because of the plow attached to it. The McCarthy couples took turns driving. Whoever wasn’t in the main truck was driving the black truck and tow trailer. Then he and Beth brought up the rear. Settling in the home was easier than getting used to driving it, but they had finally got the hang of both.

Each evening when they stopped to make camp they would park the houses next to each other so the doors into each home faced the other homes door. They left enough room between the houses so the black truck could drive through, drop the trailer in the space between the houses and circle around, backing in to the other side of the space, leaving a courtyard of sorts to walk about in. After they were parked, they locked the trucks and cab of the motor home up. This way they were covered on three sides by solid metal from the living and dead and had a truck ready as an escape if they had to abandon camp.

It had been a quiet week, but they all were the opinion that they had to keep moving in case they were being followed. They had wiped two communities off the map and the girls had signed their work, someone was bound to notice what they had done sooner or later, expecially if those communities were doing business with others. They had to keep going, and try to cover their tracks as best as they could, the plan now was find a place to hide and homestead in or around the Rocky Mountains, which would be hard but they knew now that hiding like they had in Washington was their best bet in surviving.

Beth was crushed when they had hashed out the plan, later telling him she felt in her gut one of her siblings was alive and hoped one day they would be able to find her. Her only proof of this gut feeling was the mark on Rosie, so Troy knew it was a possibility but the odds were slim that one of his in-laws lived. He didn’t want to dash her hope completely, but he did reassure her that if her family still lived then God would find a way to bring them together again.

When he thought of family he missed his brother, his parents and the people of Broke Jaw…the loss of his former community still grated at him the deaths of his last blood relations were pointless and he still wished for vengeance all these years later. But his wife, his girls, and his new family soothed the balm of loss for him, they all had experienced it but took comfort in each other. Troy wasn’t stupid, he knew that without these people, this family in his corner he would have done something terrible and probably be killed for it by now. He was thankful for everyday they all had together.

He was still mad at Beth and his sisters, they could have taken the light out of their family with their stupid rescue mission. He didn’t know if he and his brothers would have been able to continue without them, and the girls still thought they were right in their actions. He was comforted that Beth couldn’t put herself in danger willingly because of his order, but he couldn’t do jack shit to keep his sisters from going off on their own.

They were gathered around the table in the McCarthy house one evening after supper, the kids playing a board game Beth picked up a before the clusterfuck in Wyoming on the boys’ bed as the adults talked. They had the metal door of the home open so the cool night air could cool air could carry away the smell of the meat that Gretchen burnt for supper, which was lucky because if the door wasn’t open, they wouldn’t have heard the sound of approaching vehicles and horses.

He and Coop were the first to hear, both shooting up from their seats. Coop ordered the kids and women to panic room which was his and Gretch’s bedroom. The door bolted from the inside a few times over it was one of the first modifications they did on the place, they just never had the chance to use it. While they kids and women ran to the room, Troy shut the front door to so the women and children's scents didn’t drift towards the approaching group. Jimmie handed the girls their weapons belts and a few extra guns before Gretchen shut and bolted the door. After their families were safe Troy and and his brothers strapped on their weapons belts, Troy was thankful that after the girls were kidnapped everyone began wearing their weapons again.

Troy and his brothers left the home and walked to the truck, locking the home behind them. The McCarthy’s took the night vison rifles out of the locked storage before shutting it and kneeling on it so they could lean over the top of the truck.

They usually got in and out of the truck when it was parked up against the houses from the sunroof, but instead of jumping in the cab Troy climbed down onto the hood of the truck before jumping down to great his guests, his own rifle drawn, trained on them as they approached.

It was a large group of people, mostly betas but there were a few alphas at the lead; both women. Most of them were in old beat up trucks and truck cabs, but the alphas galloped ahead on horses. Troy saw a dead omega being dragged behind each of the three trucks in chains, torn up from the road.

Troy never understood alphas that liked to hurt omegas, and definitely never understood female alphas at all. You’d think a group discriminated against because they had male and female external genitalia and were women that couldn’t bear children would be sympathetic to other discriminated against groups. But no, female alphas were the worst alphas had to offer, they saw the discrimination they experienced as a reason to act like bigger assholes, be alphas among alphas. They always had a fucking chip on their shoulder, some of them even actively hated male omegas because they didn’t have external differences from their alpha and beta counterparts (all the differences were inside). So it wasn’t really a surprise to Troy that if there was a group trafficking in omegas, female alphas were at the head of it. But the thought of alphas not protecting and loving omegas was chilling to Troy, it was their whole purpose in life to protect their mate and family, and be guardians to the mates of their fellow alphas. Hurting an omega, any omega was a sin.

Honestly, when Troy was the one hurting people even he was squeamish about hurting omegas, and when he did he made sure their alpha was dead first and made it a quick death they never saw coming. Omegas had it hard enough. Honestly he knew he was sort of a hypocrite, but pimping, starving and torturing omegas for profit? It was fucking gross.

Troy shot his rifle in the air when the group got within a few yards of their camp, signaling that they should stop. They all took the hint and paused the alphas dismounting their horses and signaling the others to stay back before approaching Troy, hands in the air.

Troy strapped the rifle to his back, knowing his brothers still had weapons trained on the group. “How can I help you?” he asked.

“We were looking for a group that wiped out a few communities we’re friendly with and freed some of our merchandise.” The lead woman said a sneer on her face. “They even signed their work. A family by the name of McCarthy-Otto.”

Troy didn’t know for sure but he had a feeling the three dead omegas being dragged by the trucks were the omegas the girls freed. His wife and sisters would be devastated.

“Can’t say we can help you, our surname is Walker.” Troy said with a shrug, internally laughing at his own joke. “Those are my half brothers back there, we try to keep to ourselves.” He said pointing over his shoulder.

The woman didn’t look like she bought it, “You got any omegas in there? We’re willing to trade supplies for product, we’ll even pay for young ones if you aren’t willing to part with the ones you’re using currently.” She offered.

“We’re okay on supplies.” Troy stated, “And my kids and nephews are alphas and betas.” Troy shrugged, “I’m sure they have no value to you.”

The woman grinned. “So you do have omegas in there…”

“What self respecting alpha would give up their omega for something as trivial as supplies.” Troy asked. “An omega is way more valuable than water.”

The woman and her companion scoffed. “They’re valuable in making us rich, many weary beta travelers make substantial trades for a few hours with an omega, even more if the cunt is in heat. All you have to do is alpha-order them to fuck who their handlers tell them to and you and yours can live like kings.” The other alpha said. “My sister and I have made good money running brothels until you killed one of our suppliers and your bitches decimated our biggest earner.”

“I’m sorry to say that I didn’t do that.” Troy grinned, “But we’d be glad to take a few of you out if you don’t leave us alone.”

“You know what I think?” the first woman said, “I think you’re lying through your teeth.”

“And I think that even if he isn’t, he has valuable product in those trailers we can sell and the supplies will help us all get home.” her sister said.

Troy sighed, he didn’t want it to come to this but these people weren’t going to leave either way. Slowly he gave a thumbs up behind his back and his brothers killed both alphas with a bullet in their brains. Their horses fled at the bloodshed. The betas left behind were all shocked and were about to shoot at him before Troy yelled. “Weapons down!”

It wasn’t that hard to alpha-order the fifteen betas. They were weak willed, probably because they’d been under constant alpha control for so long. In the old world, he’d never had been able to control this many betas at the same time with a simple alpha order, ordering betas usually took more energy out of him. But these men and women were broken, whether it was the world ending that broke their spirits or the alphas they latched onto that did the job, Troy didn’t care.

He looked to the truck nearest him and pointed at a small woman in the truck bed crooking his finger signaling he wanted to talk to her. She scrambled to him quickly.

“You're going to answer all my questions honestly got it?” he said ordering her, she nodded and gave a weak ‘yes alpha’ before he continued. “How many more of your group are there?” He asked, ordering her.

“This is most of us…there’s eight betas and four omega whores still at the remaining brothel.” She stuttered out.

“Do all of you want to harm the people you harm?”

She shook her head, “No. They had us on drugs when this all started, and put us under constant alpha order. We had to do what they told us. Some of us are willing, but not all of us. I was okay with it at first for safety but when my daughter was born they made me kill her."

“Why did you have to kill your kid?” Troy asked.

“All children have to die if they aren’t destined to be omega whores.” She said sadly, like reciting an old speech. “they are just a nuisance, a mouth to feed that will never pay you back.”

Troy looked at the woman in shock. These people were fucked up. What was the point in surviving if you couldn’t live a life. If you were committing evils just to keep breathing and not doing anything with your life you might as well end it now.

Troy heard Coop approach before he ended up at his side. “Any of you that will continue to harm innocents including but not limited to omegas and children will kill yourselves this instant.” Coop yelled at the crowd.

It was like a wave, staring at the ones closet to them and going out. As soon as the order hit their ears the assembled crowd froze and then either reached for a weapon or looked towards Troy and Coop for additional orders. When it was done only four people remained alive.

“Go back to the brothel, kill those who will not join you not harming innocents, free the omegas and start living honestly somewhere far away from here and from the brothel.” Troy told the four remaining men and women.

They all nodded. “Gather your supplies, make sure those that are dead don’t reanimate and go. You have an hour.” Coop told them, and all sprung into action, gathering weapons and supplies from the dead (and stabbing the brains the few that didn’t opt to shoot themselves in the head) and supplies from the two oldest trucks and throwing them in the newer model, cutting the omega body attached free. It took them the whole hour before they were driving off into the night.

Then Jimmie arrived, a few shovels in hand and the three of them dug a large grave for the three mutilated omega bodies left behind. When they were settled, they piled the bodies of the dead alphas and betas in one place so they could easily drive away when morning came.

It was another few hours before they felt comfortable enough to say no one else was coming and decided to let the family know it was clear.

Everyone hugged each other in relief. And they all decided that the adults would sleep in shifts tonight, just in case. He and Beth set the girls up on the dinette bed in the McCarthy trailer and took the first shift. It was decided the boys would sleep with their parents tonight and Beth and Troy would crash in their bed, everyone feeling more secure under one roof if they had to evacuate.

“Do you think anyone else is coming?” Beth asked as they looked around.

“No.” Troy told her, “Not tonight at least. When their friendly communities find out they were wiped out then maybe they’ll come looking for us but I don’t expect it happening in the next few days. We’ll be long gone by the time anyone looks for us.”

“I’m sorry we signed our work Troy.” Beth said, “That was stupid. Its what tied the two massacres together isn’t it?”

“No, its what had them looking for a family.” He said. “and I get it, you wanted to reach out to your brother or sister.”

“I think its Maggie.” Beth said with a grin, even in the night time it was bright and beautiful. “Shawn wouldn’ta used Daddy’s name as a first name. His name was Shawn Herschel, if he wanted to honor Daddy, he woulda used it as a middle name.”

Troy drew her into a hug. “Well I hope you see them both again Bethy.”

“Me too.” she said leaning into his hug. “Can I leave a message Troy? Please?”

Troy wanted to say no , he really did. But leaving a message only his in-laws would understand really wouldnt make their situation any worse. “No names, no directions. Just something they would understand.”

Beth squealed excitedly and ran to find the damn spray paint she brought back with her and one of their solar powered lanterns they kept in the truck beds. “You keep watch, I’ll be quick about it.”

Troy shoock his head and watched his wife climb over the truck with her supplies, rearrange the trucks left behind so they were end- to-end and began to spray paint by lantern light. It took her til the end of their watch, when Jimmie and Charlene were coming to join them, Beth was just putting away her supplies.

They slept soundly that night, and in the daylight after breakfast, while they all packed up camp and got ready to roll out Troy jogged out to the little billboard his wife made. The message was in white, and signed with a bright green cursive B inside of a heart.

Troy laughed. The phrase ‘ _we all got jobs to do’_ signed in a bright green was hammering it home for his in-laws, but to any passing traveler the nonsense message signed with a heart in front of a pile of the remains of the people that died last night would be chilling. They would want to stay away from the person who left those bodies in their wake.

* * *

It was another week before they came across a farm near rocky mountains, the roads had been shit and difficult to navigate but they all had their hearts set on living around mountains again as everything had went downhill since they left their home in the Cascades.

Troy was surprised to find a farm in the area, and one with living livestock was even more unreal to him. While he and Jimmie were scouting the place it became clear to both of them that someone was living here, but all he saw was the animals the barn and a log cabin, no movement.

The old man running out of the cabin with a shot gun gave them pause. The dude was pushing eighty, but he was still a spry alpha. “What are you boys doing on my land?”

“We were just looking for a safe space for our family.” Troy said calm, setting down his weapon. “We didn’t realize anyone was living here. We’ll leave if you let us.”

“Daddy!” a voice said from behind the old man, and a brunette beta female came running out of the cabin. “Hear them out. You’re not going to live forever, and I cant take care of the land by myself.” The old man looked like he wanted to debate that before his daughter said, “Think of what Mom would want. Do you think she’d want me to live here alone when you’re gone?”

The old man paused, “No. But she also didn’t want to be killed by a plague, or see her grandkids get eaten alive.” He said before putting down his weapon. “Fine we’ll chat, I’ll meet your family and then we’ll see if we can get along.” He told them.

Jimmie and Troy sighed in relief, holstering their weapons. And the man and his daughter followed them down the drive to where their vehicles and the rest of their family was.

The old man, William, was tickled pink to meet the kids. Once the kids came out of the vehicles he suggested a game of tag and promptly ignored the adults in his family once he was running around with the giggling children.

His daughter, Ella, smiled at the scene and explained, “Most of my family was in Denver when the plague started. First my brothers and their wives got ill, They were all told to quarantine together, so they holed up at my older brother’s house. Mom made the drive to check on them and found them eating what remained of my three nieces and my two nephews. Mom got bit trying to save my oldest nephew because he was still begging them to stop. My sister-in-law bit her as she was tearing the boys throat out. She called me panicked and I met her at the hospital. She died in my arms before they could see her…and then.”

“You watched her turn.” Troy said, finishing the story for the woman.

Ella nodded. “A nurse zip-tied her to the chair she was in when we arrived, I guess they knew what was happening... as soon as she changed, a cop came and shot her where she sat. I ran to my car after that, packed my stuff and came home. I had to tell my Dad what happened. He already knew she was gone, he felt the bond break but he didn’t know about everyone else we lost.”

They all gave their condolences to Ella. It was such a horrible loss. Troy knew so many families were decimated within days of the victims of the virus starting to die, it all had happened so quickly. His family were lucky to been away from the bigger cities when it happened, knowing it was the worst there.

“I’d love to hear your stories too.” She said wiping her tears, “I think that just the prospect of having little ones running around again you have Daddy’s blessing to stay. There's not much room in the cabin. Its only two bedroom, my brothers and I shared when we were little and they always brought RVs when they visited with their families.”

“We’re fine with our homes.” Beth grinned. “If you can tell us where to park.”

Ella nodded. “You can park near the cabin.”

They did just that, still parking the homes facing each other, and the tow trailer in the middle, but this time leaving the black truck hooked up to the trailer. The opening of their combined home opened towards the back door of the cabin. They were a yard or two away from the back door, and the well was in between the cabin’s door and their ‘porch’.

Ella gave them all a tour then. They had a small garden which she was having a hard time maintaining herself they had a ton of chickens and had a few cows and pigs. Ella told them that she had a hard time feeding the livestock with their supplies and just the two of them and had to cull the herd of the bigger animals. They had a cellar they used to store what they couldn’t eat and it was pretty full of grain, animal feed, and preserved food.

“Dad and I took what we could from the few places we could get to, but we ran out of gas a few months in. Haven't even tried to go anywhere since then.” Ella explained.

“Well once we get settled in, we could go on a run to towns nearby.” Coop offered, “See if there's anything we can use.”

Ella beamed. “I’m coming with!” she declared.

“Now Ella, while the others unpack our stuff, lets talk garden!” Beth grinned, “I’ve got some seeds I’d love to plant, maybe we can expand what you have going on?”

Ella smiled at Beth and led her along towards the barren patch of land next to the barn. Troy let her go, knowing she would be at it for a bit, making plans about growing fruits and veggies. Jimmie, Charlene and Gretchen went to go unpack their things and set up camp. He and Coop went to go talk to William.

The old man was found at the bottom of a laughing pile of kids.

“Daddy!” Maggie said, “We tackled Mr Bill!”

“I see that pumpkin.” Troy laughed. “Can we steal your new friend?”

The kids protested as William sat up, “I’ll be back little ones!”

When the three of them walked away from the kids William focused on him and Coop. “Do you both promise to protect my girl like she was your own blood from this day until your deaths?”

“We do.” They said together, holding out their hands.

“Do you promise our families can make a life here as long as we pull our weight.” Troy asked.

“Of course.” William said, shaking both their hands, when the deal was done he grinned at them. “Just so you know, I don’t have one foot out the door like my daughter thinks. I may have lost my mate and most of my family, but I still have to stick around as long as I’m able for her.”

Troy nodded, feeling sympathy for the man. He knew it would be hell each day if he had to live without Beth, and he’d only known her six years, but if his children were still breathing he’d live as long as he physically could to protect them, expecially in this new cruel world. Troy looked at his girls as they ran around with their cousins before turning to Coop. “Hey brother, how long has it been since you played tag?”

Coop and William laughed, and the old man ran towards the children yelling. “Cooper’s it!”

Cooper immediately shoved Troy before running towards the group. “Troy’s It.”

Troy ran off tapping the first child he could reach. “Lily’s it!”

“Come on Daddy! No fair!” Lily laughed before running after him.

* * *

The last three years living with William (call me Bill) and Ella Barnes had been pretty great. The family was thriving on the farm hidden in the mountains. Lily was now pushing fifteen, and there had been that whole awkward time last year when he and Beth had to go on a run to find heat toys for their girl after retro-fitting a storm cellar for her. It was not something he was looking forward to doing for his other girls either.

With all their kids, Beth’s heat only recently came back, Charlene and Lily were regular every six months and Coops ruts were pretty regular but between all the suppressants from Beth’s youth and the fulfillment all their daughters her body didn’t feel the need. Which he was thankful for because this last one (her second ever) lasted two weeks and he hadn’t had a rut since their wedding night, the alpha in him pretty content with the children they had. It was hard to keep up with her.

Now she was pregnant again, and not that he wasn’t thrilled for another baby, but his daughters and nephews kept him on his toes as it was. Maggie and Lily were his biggest hellions (Lils fucking surprised him), Libby while still a sweet Mama’s girl had a mischievous streak in her, Rose was the only true Daddy’s girl of the bunch. The other three loved him but loved pranks more and Lils and Mags were all about Grandpa Bill. It didn’t grate his nerves at all that the older alpha became a grandfatherly figure to the kids at all because after Bill got to know them he started to call Troy, Beth and their brothers and sisters his kids to.

Troy was on a run for baby stuff; Ella and Lily had joined him. Elle was a good partner to have on a run or a hunt. Bill, a service veteran had raised his children to live off the land and fend for themselves, Ella could fight better than Troy hand-to-hand. Beth and Gretchen preferred to be close to home these days and rarely left the ranch; Charlene, Coop and Jimmie preferred to hunt and tend to their land but would go on a run. Ella was always up for the job. His little Lily had recently gotten the thumbs up from her aunts and grandfather in fighting techniques and weapons, and Troy and Beth thought it would be good for her to have some practice off the ranch. This was her first time out in the world since she was a kid, so she was shocked at the changes she had seen.

He’d left Ella and Lily in a baby store in a town while he went to the hardware store. They were always on the lookout for lumber, and he and Beth had been toying with building a cabin of their own for the last year. But the lumber they found was always needed for the farm, if they really wanted to build a cabin, they'd have to cut down some trees themselves. He didn’t find much of use, they’d picked this town clean a few months ago, but he grabbed another wagon so they could wheel a crib back (he really didn’t want to build one).

He was leaving the hardware store when he heard a gun cock. He turned to his right to find a raggedy looking group of travelers a mix of different ages, races, and designations. In his defense he didn’t smell anyone around when they arrived in town but probably was to lost in thought when he went in the store to notice. The scents were unmistakable now.

“You part of the group that’s been picking towns clean in the area?” A bearded alpha asked. By the scent the only other adult alpha in their group was a one handed man (one hand was a blade, the other was wrapped around an older omega woman who had a teenaged girl clinging to her). The other adult omega was at the lead alpha’s side and had fucking machetes strapped to her, two kids and a teen were behind them. Everyone else was behind that family, various weapons trained on Troy.

“Yeah, me and my family.” Troy nodded. “We’re not looking for trouble if that’s what you're looking for.”

“Not trouble, just information.” The alpha said, signaling behind him and a brunette woman sheathed her knife and walked forward. Troy’s heart stopped after getting a good look at her, he’d seen her picture before. Beth kept a family photo on her side of the bed. But just because she looked a lot like his wives sister, didn’t mean she was her, it could just be wishful thinking.

“Do you know anything about the green B’s?” the woman asked, teary-eyed.

Beth, against his better judgment had been leaving green cursive B’s surrounded by tiny hearts on town signs whenever she went on a run, until the can of spray paint ran out and she stopped going on runs.

Troy nodded showing his marked wrist to the woman. “If you can tell me the name of my wives parents, then I’ll tell you about the B’s”

The woman stared at his wrist and began to sob, collapsing on the ground, an asian man and boy ran forward to comfort her. “Hershel and Annette Greene. Is Bethy still alive? Where is she?”

“She’s fine. Resting at home pregnant.” Troy told her. “nice to meet you Maggie, one of our daughters is named after you.”

Maggie Greene stood up and threw herself at him in a hug. “Hi Troy. I’m glad she found you.”

“Before this reunion goes any further.” The lead alpha said, “I want to know about the bodies we saw. What kinda people did your kid sister wind up with Maggie.”

“Well Beth and my sister were kidnapped on a run a few years ago by omega traffickers. My brother and I wiped them out, rescued the girls and Beth and I adopted the girls that were being held to be sold. Beth kinda lost it, and she and my two sisters wiped out a brothel the traffickers were selling to which is when she started leaving messages for you, she saw our adopted daughters mark and was convinced you or your brother were alive. Who else would name their kid Hershel?” At that the boy looked at his mark and smiled, his mom ruffling his hair. “That caused the rest of the group to come after us. My brothers and I killed who we could and our family kept moving. We got adopted by an old alpha and his daughter three years ago and have been sticking to ourselves ever since.” Troy said giving the cliff notes version. “My brothers and I only kill to protect family. The girls will only kill if they find out there's people in need of help. You have my word.”

The alpha nodded. Reassured by his word, everyone put down their weapons. “You here alone brother?” Maggie’s mate asked.

Troy shook his head. “My eldest daughter and my most annoying sister are at the baby store, I was just getting something so we could carry a crib back.” He said gesturing to the wagon.

“Can you support twelve more coming home with you?” Maggie asked, “We’ve been on the run for a long time, everywhere we end up usually goes to shit.”

“I think we have to find a way to support it, you’re family.” Troy said, “Although your alphas, my brother and I will have to have a chat with the alpha whose land we’re living on when we get there. But between you and I, the old man is a sucker for kids.”

The group laughed and Troy began to walk toward the baby store, telling them that there were some tents they could set up for temporary housing while they scavenged about for materials for more permanat homes for the newcomers.

When they arrived at the store and Ella drew her crossbow. “Hey idiot, you caught a tail.”

“They’re cool Elle, its Beth’s sister and her family.” Troy said.

“Yeah, fucking right. And I’m the Virgin Mary.” Ella sneered, not lowering her weapon. The people behind him snorted, and he swore one of them hooted with laughter, Ella ignored them. “Lillian you keep your ass in the store your Daddy has gone insane and brought trouble.”

Lily, ever the fan of not listening, walked out of the store with a stack of onesies and threw them in the wagon she had already overfilled. “Shut up Aunt Elle, Daddy would never bring trouble, he’d die first.” She said before turning to him and the assembled group. “That’s Mama’s sister right behind him, put the fucking bow down stupid.”

Troy put his head in his hands and sighed, Lily’s mouth was Charlene and Gretchen’s influence, and try as he might he couldn’t get her to clean up her language. It was like trying to get Maggie (his daughter, not his sister-in-law, God this was going to get confusing) not to push peoples buttons, or getting Libby to not avoid chores to listen to Bill’s records, or asking Rosie to not roll around in the mud…fruitless.

If he hadn’t took a second to compose himself he wouldn’t have heard the teenaged alpha ask his Dad if he thought that Troy’s daughter was his mate. Troy turned around quickly at that, glaring at the boy. “Maggie, sister, favorite sister, please tell me that the kid’s name isn’t Carl Richard.”

“She’s only your favorite cuz she's new…” he heard Ella say.

The leader of the group smiled and held out his hand, “The names Rick Grimes, and yes my eldest is Carl. I suppose that means this young lady is Lillian May?”

Troy shook his hand and felt his daughter arrive to stand next to him. “Troy Otto. No offense to your kid, but I’m still traumatized from her having heats, I don’t think I can handle mating yet...”

“Fucking grow up Daddy, we’re not going to fuck in the street. I’m only fifteen.” Lily said, running over to Carl, wrist out.

The two teens awed in each others marks and started talking to each other. Troy’s brother-in-law clamped him on his shoulder in support, and Rick gave him a sympathetic look before introducing Troy to his wife, his other kids and the Dixon family and Maggie formally introduced her husband Glen.

Soon the group was walking back to the homestead, Ella lead the way chatting up the beta Dixon brother, Lily alternating between talking to her new aunt and her alpha, the rest of the group in the middle as Troy, Rick and Merle brought up the rear, Troy and Rick pulling the wagons as the three alphas discussed how this would work.

All Troy could think about as he walked and talked was that his wife was going to freak when she saw her sister again. And she’d be so smug with her 'I told you so's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Group- As of the end of this story (ICYMI)
> 
> Otto Family- Troy (A)/Beth (O), Lily (O), Maggie (O), Libby (O), Rosie (O)  
> McCarthy Family- Coop (A)/Gretchen (O), Phil (A), Jimmie(B)/Charlene(B), Pat (A)  
> Barnes Family- Bill (A), Ella (B)  
> Grimes Family- Rick (A)/Michonne(O)*, Carl(A), Judith(B), RJ(A)  
> Rhee Family- Glen(B)/Maggie(B), Hershel (A)  
> Dixon Family**- Merle(A)/Carol(O), Daryl(B), Sophia(B)
> 
> Notes:  
> *Rick and Michonne weren’t marked mates but got together in the apocalypse.  
> **Merle and Carol have been together since Carol was 18; Sophia is their kid.


	7. Interlude: I Was Here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been feeling ill and terrified that its you-know-what so i'm uploading chapters 5-7 all at once. I dont want to leave this fic unfinished... so make sure you get everything in the right order.
> 
> This chapter is more about Beth and Maggie than Beth and Troy so there's no lyrics from the song the fic is named after. Its more of a bridge to a potential sequel if people want it. So you can stop now if and not miss any story
> 
> The title and song is a song by Beyonce that was in a Beth vid on YouTube I saw when I was looking for inspiration. It was my inspiration of Beth starting to want to leave a mark behind for her siblings. 
> 
> For this universe can we pretend Beyonce released the album this song was on in 2010 before the outbreak started? In the rest of the fic, they're not signing Power Over Me…its just the kind of emotion I wanted to draw from for Troy/Beth’s relationship. But she’s signing in this one so…

**Interlude: I Was Here**

Beth loved signing, and did it whenever she had a free moment. Tonight she was walking around her garden and waiting for Jimmie and Bill to declare dinner ready. The farm was really beautiful under the stars and she liked these little moments of solitude she could steal now that they were in a safe space.

The little one in her belly kicked and she smiled. She felt for sure this one was a girl too, had the name picked out too (Tracy Amity, they’d call her Amy). She knew Troy loved his Mama, even though she was horrid to him, she hoped she could honor his side of the family with this child. If she was wrong and this child was a boy she would name him after her husband, but she knew in her soul it was a girl. Just like she knew somewhere out there in the world she had a brother or a sister and one day they’s find each other again.

These days, being in the garden alone to pray and sing was the closest she got to church. Sure every week or so they’d gather together and read from the bible, but to Beth this time under the stars was where she felt closer to God.

She didn’t always sign hymns after prayer, sometimes it was songs she had heard on the radio or songs her Mama taught her growing up. This one she heard just before she left for her mission trip on the radio. The song was beautiful, and even though it wasn’t a hymn, to her it felt like a prayer.

_“I was here,_

_I lived, I loved,_

_I was here  
I did, I've done, _

_Everything that I wanted,_  
And it was more than I thought it would be,  
I will leave my mark so everyone will know

_I was here”_

Even when she was gone, the girls would remember her, and her signatures that she left as much as possible would be there for generations to come even if no one knew who she was. Maybe that’s the main reason she left the marks…was all you got after those that knew her were gone someone in the future would see the marks and realize that she stood where they stood at one point. It was kind of beautiful.

Beth smiled and looked at the sky. “Amen.” She said before turning around to find a figure watching her and weeping.

“Bethy.” The woman said walking towards her.

Beth ran and started weeping herself. “Maggie.” She sighed as she finally embraced her sister after almost nine years.

As they held each other Beth looked up to the stars and smiled, mouthing a thank you to the Lord. He’d given her more than she could ever dream for in this new world; her beautiful daughters, her amazing alpha, her perfect extended family and now in His grace He’d given her back her sister.

She was truly blessed.

**Author's Note:**

> louisahalewrites on tumblr for photo edits and update schedule. Hope you enjoy!


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